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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bound — certain
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bound — tied together
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. staff — employees
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. date — the fruit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. mark — a trace
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. staff — employees
  18. stand — to bear
  19. pass — a permit
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pass — to spend time
  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