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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: cap · march · bear · mark · wax · jam · patient · toast

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wax — to grow
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a grade
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mark — a trace
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. toast — bread
  22. cap — a hat
  23. wax — for sculpting
  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