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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. spring — of water
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. spring — the season
  10. bound — obliged
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ball — a dance
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. bound — certain
  17. ball — a great time
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. spring — a coil
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wax — to grow
  24. rest — a break

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