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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. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. court — for sport
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. last — finally
  6. court — of a king
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. mug — a face
  9. march — the month
  10. court — of law
  11. craft — boats
  12. mug — to rob
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. march — the month
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bass — low music
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. last — final
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. march — music
  24. last — to go on

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