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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 116 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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bound — tied together
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bound — certain
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. prune — to trim
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bay — a horse colour

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