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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bound — tied together
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bound — certain
  17. staff — employees
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. staff — employees
  20. bound — obliged
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. staff — a stick
  24. patient — a sick person

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