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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. row — a line
  5. row — to paddle
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. fork — in a road
  8. tube — a container
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. rash — a series
  15. bound — obliged
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rash — hasty
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. tube — the underground
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bound — certain
  24. tube — in a tire

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