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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bulb — for light
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. march — music
  12. spell — magic
  13. spell — letters
  14. squash — the sport
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bulb — for light
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. spell — a short time
  22. sharp — clever
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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