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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: game · bound · object · march · rash · perch · patient · can

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. can — a tin
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — a series
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. can — to be able to
  8. object — to protest
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. march — the month
  11. bound — tied together
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. object — a thing
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. game — wild animals
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — a match
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. object — an aim
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bound — certain
  23. rash — hasty
  24. can — a tin

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