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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 120 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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. tube — the underground
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fine — high quality
  7. club — for golf
  8. march — music
  9. rush — hurry
  10. march — the month
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. tube — a container
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. saw — the tool
  15. drill — the tool
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. march — the month
  18. club — a group
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. club — for dancing
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — army training
  24. fine — all right

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