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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: scale · roll · pound · suit · march · patient · hand · mate

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. mate — a partner
  4. mate — to breed
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. march — the month
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. march — music
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. scale — size or range
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. scale — in music
  14. roll — a cake
  15. roll — a list
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pound — a weight
  20. hand — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mate — a friend

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