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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: march · row · club · track · patient · stand · bulb · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. march — music
  3. club — a group
  4. row — to paddle
  5. track — to keep track
  6. club — for dancing
  7. track — a song
  8. march — the month
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. track — a path
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. club — for golf
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. suit — in cards
  17. march — the month
  18. stand — to bear
  19. row — a line
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bulb — for light
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bulb — for light

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