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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
468
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: bore · row · patient · bay · firm · foot · march · bass

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bass — low music
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. firm — steady
  9. row — to paddle
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bass — the fish
  13. march — music
  14. firm — decided
  15. march — the month
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — a line
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. march — the month
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. firm — a company
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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