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

Word bank: mate · cap · patient · nail · deal · march

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mate — a partner
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mate — a friend
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cap — a hat
  13. mate — to breed
  14. cap — of ice
  15. march — the month
  16. cap — a lid
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. nail — on a finger

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