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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. suit — in cards
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. court — of law
  8. bound — tied together
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. suit — clothes
  12. board — to get on
  13. saw — the tool
  14. board — a committee
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. bound — certain
  17. object — a thing
  18. suit — to fit
  19. object — to protest
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. object — an aim
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of a king
  24. bound — obliged

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