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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: coach · bulb · can · cue · patient · scale · march · last

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. march — the month
  4. can — to be able to
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. scale — in music
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. can — a tin
  9. last — final
  10. last — finally
  11. bulb — for light
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cue — for pool
  14. march — the month
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. can — a tin
  19. cue — a hint
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. last — to go on
  22. march — music
  23. cue — a signal
  24. scale — size or range

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