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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. season — in sport
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. race — the arms race
  9. march — the month
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. roll — a list
  12. march — the month
  13. wax — to grow
  14. march — music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. race — humankind
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. race — a contest
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. season — of the year
  24. coach — a trainer

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