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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: march · patient · track · bound · hide · racket · lash · cabinet

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. march — the month
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bound — tied together
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. track — a path
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. track — a song
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. march — the month
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bound — obliged
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bound — certain
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. track — to keep track
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. hide — to keep secret

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