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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.

Make a worksheet

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: hide · rule · march · track · patient · degree · rock · jam

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rule — government
  4. degree — temperature
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. track — a path
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rock — a stone
  10. march — the month
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. track — a song
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. rule — a law
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. degree — an amount
  17. march — music
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. degree — from a university
  23. track — to keep track
  24. rock — music

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