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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
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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: patient · sharp · plane · ruler · band · deal · mug · march

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. mug — a face
  4. march — the month
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mug — to rob
  13. plane — a tool
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — clever
  18. march — music
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mug — a cup
  21. band — a music group
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. band — a ring
  24. march — the month

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