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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · current · patient · present · pitcher · march

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. present — a gift
  5. current — electric
  6. march — music
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. current — happening now
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. march — the month
  12. present — there
  13. current — of water
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. march — the month
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. patient — a sick person

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