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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
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: cue · swing · patient · bowl · march · craft · fine · sharp

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. march — the month
  4. swing — music
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. swing — to play on
  10. march — the month
  11. fine — all right
  12. cue — for pool
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. cue — a signal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fine — high quality
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cue — a hint
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. sharp — exactly

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