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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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. bound — tied together
  2. bound — obliged
  3. row — to paddle
  4. object — an aim
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. row — a line
  7. bound — certain
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. plane — a tool
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. object — to protest
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a leader
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. object — a thing
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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