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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
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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 · can · toast · bowl · trunk · tube · season · patient

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. march — the month
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. tube — a container
  6. march — the month
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. season — in sport
  10. toast — bread
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. season — of the year
  15. can — a tin
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. tube — the underground
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. can — a tin
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. march — music
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bowl — to roll

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