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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. march — the month
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. shower — to wash
  13. march — music
  14. bulb — for light
  15. shower — rain
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bulb — for light
  20. pass — a permit
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. march — the month
  24. bark — to shout

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