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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: mouse · present · stand · patient · nail · pitcher · suit · march

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. present — there
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. present — the time now
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. march — the month
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. suit — clothes
  21. march — music
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. present — a gift

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