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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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Word bank
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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: cue · swing · patient · bowl · march · craft

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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. bowl — a football final
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. swing — to play on
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. cue — a hint
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. march — music
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. cue — a signal
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. march — the month
  15. swing — in golf
  16. cue — for pool
  17. swing — music
  18. craft — boats

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