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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bound — tied together
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — to drill
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. scale — size or range
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. snap — to click
  16. scale — in music
  17. bound — obliged
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bound — certain
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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