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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  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. bound — tied together
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. bound — obliged
  7. spring — of water
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. season — of the year
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. spring — the season
  14. wake — a trail
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. spring — a coil
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. bound — certain
  19. season — in sport
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bowl — to roll
  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