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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: pound · march · toast · bark · calf · patient

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. toast — bread
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. march — the month
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. march — the month
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. pound — a weight
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. march — music
  18. bark — to shout

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