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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: patient · fan · ball · ruler · row · march · kick · jam

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. ball — a great time
  11. march — the month
  12. kick — in football
  13. row — a line
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. march — the month
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. row — to paddle
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. row — a quarrel

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