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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. march — music
  6. squash — to crush
  7. swing — in golf
  8. march — the month
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. squash — the sport
  12. mug — to rob
  13. swing — music
  14. row — a line
  15. march — the month
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. mug — a face
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. row — to paddle
  23. deal — to handle
  24. swing — to play 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