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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: cue · bore · rash · march · trunk · fine · patient · stem

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. cue — a hint
  3. fine — all right
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rash — hasty
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rash — a series
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. bore — to tire
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. march — the month
  13. bore — to drill
  14. march — the month
  15. cue — for pool
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fine — high quality
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. stem — to come from
  23. cue — a signal
  24. trunk — of a car

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