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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. march — the month
  4. bear — the animal
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bank — for money
  10. row — a line
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bear — the animal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. track — to keep track
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bank — for money
  19. track — a path
  20. march — music
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. track — a song

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