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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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. row — a line
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wake — a trail
  6. bound — certain
  7. content — happy
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. content — the amount
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. deal — to handle
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bound — tied together
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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