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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bound — certain
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mate — a friend
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. date — the fruit
  20. mate — to breed
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bound — tied together
  23. mate — a partner
  24. temple — side of the head

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