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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.

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: pitcher · rule · wave · present · toast · leaves · patient · march

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. 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. present — there
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. toast — bread
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. present — the time now
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. present — a gift
  9. rule — a law
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rule — government
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. 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