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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rock — a stone
  3. present — there
  4. bound — tied together
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. present — a gift
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rock — music
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. stand — to bear
  13. object — an aim
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. bound — obliged
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bound — certain
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. object — a thing
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. object — to protest
  23. pound — a weight
  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