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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 116 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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. march — music
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bank — of a river
  5. march — the month
  6. mug — to rob
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mug — a face
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bank — for money
  12. march — the month
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mug — a cup
  15. craft — a skill
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bank — for money
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. racket — a loud noise

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