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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bank · patient · march · swing · pit · suit

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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. suit — to fit
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. march — the month
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bank — of a river
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — in golf
  10. pit — a hole
  11. march — music
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bank — for money
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bank — for money
  17. suit — clothes
  18. swing — music

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