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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. march — music
  3. march — the month
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. club — for golf
  6. season — in sport
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bark — to shout
  9. season — of the year
  10. cue — a hint
  11. board — to get on
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. cue — for pool
  14. board — a committee
  15. march — the month
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. perch — the fish
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bark — of a tree

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