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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: key · patient · saw · staff · wave · march · suit · ball

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. staff — employees
  4. march — music
  5. staff — employees
  6. march — the month
  7. staff — a stick
  8. march — the month
  9. saw — the tool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. suit — to fit
  12. ball — a dance
  13. suit — in cards
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. suit — clothes
  20. saw — the tool
  21. key — for a lock
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. ball — a great time
  24. patient — a sick person

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