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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. ground — the earth
  3. cap — of ice
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. cap — a lid
  6. march — the month
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. march — the month
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. march — music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — a position
  18. cap — a hat

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