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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. mug — to rob
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. tube — the underground
  5. staff — employees
  6. tube — a container
  7. mug — a cup
  8. saw — the tool
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. staff — employees
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. march — the month
  13. march — the month
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. mug — a face
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. staff — a stick

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