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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cell — a phone
  7. foot — a measure
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. bound — certain
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cell — in biology
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bulb — for light
  18. foot — part of the body

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