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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: pitcher · coach · bore · sharp · bank · last · march · patient

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. march — the month
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bore — to tire
  10. march — the month
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bank — for money
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bank — of a river
  15. last — to go on
  16. bank — for money
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. march — music
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. last — finally
  22. last — final
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. sharp — clever

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