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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: march · patient · key · ruler · lean · spell · suit · ball

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. lean — to bend
  3. suit — in cards
  4. key — for a lock
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ball — a great time
  8. march — the month
  9. spell — magic
  10. key — the most important part
  11. suit — to fit
  12. march — the month
  13. ball — a dance
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spell — a short time
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. suit — clothes
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. spell — letters
  24. key — in music

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