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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. bound — obliged
  3. present — a gift
  4. staff — employees
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. face — to point toward
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bound — tied together
  11. stock — shares
  12. face — part of the head
  13. present — the time now
  14. staff — a stick
  15. stock — goods
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. face — to confront
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — to visit
  22. staff — employees
  23. bound — certain
  24. wave — of the sea

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