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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. club — a group
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bound — certain
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — for golf
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. present — the time now
  16. stem — to come from
  17. present — a gift
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. capital — a city
  23. capital — money
  24. bound — tied together

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