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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: bank · mug · march · patient · staff · jam · degree · pass

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. mug — a cup
  6. degree — temperature
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. staff — employees
  10. staff — employees
  11. mug — to rob
  12. march — music
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bank — of a river
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — an amount
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bank — for money
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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