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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: pass · pound · march · patient · racket · object

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pound — a weight
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. object — an aim
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. march — the month
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — a permit
  12. march — music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. object — a thing
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. march — the month

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