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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: temple · current · prune · saw · suit · pound · chip · patient

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. current — of water
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. current — electric
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. prune — to trim
  16. current — happening now
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. saw — the tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pound — a weight
  24. chip — for betting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com