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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: rush · key · patient · bulb · lie · capital · march · board

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. march — the month
  6. key — in music
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. capital — a city
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. capital — money
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — the most important part
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rush — hurry
  19. board — to get on
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bulb — for light
  24. capital — a big letter

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