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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. march — music
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. march — the month
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. march — the month
  8. stock — goods
  9. swing — music
  10. stock — shares
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. craft — boats
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. craft — a skill
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — in golf
  18. patient — a sick person

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