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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.

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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: mug · patient · wound · bore · fan · foot · march · rush

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wound — an injury
  6. mug — a face
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bore — to drill
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rush — hurry
  15. foot — a measure
  16. march — the month
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. march — the month
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. march — 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