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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bound — obliged
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ball — a great time
  10. club — for dancing
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. bound — tied together
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. club — a group
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. shower — to wash
  17. shower — rain
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. club — for golf
  21. ball — a dance
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. patient — a sick person

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