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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 124 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 · jam · game · mouse · patient · suit · cabinet · prune

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. game — wild animals
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. prune — to trim
  8. suit — in cards
  9. prune — to trim
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. game — a match
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. suit — to fit

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