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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: march · drill · wind · hide · rush · staff · patient · bark

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. drill — a practice
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. march — the month
  6. staff — employees
  7. wind — moving air
  8. drill — the tool
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. march — music
  11. drill — army training
  12. wind — moving air
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. march — the month
  18. staff — employees
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — to shout

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