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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 120 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: hide · pound · march · calf · patient · season · saw · mug

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — music
  3. mug — a cup
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pound — a weight
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. saw — the tool
  10. march — the month
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. season — in sport
  20. mug — a face
  21. saw — the tool
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mug — to rob

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