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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. fall — the season
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bound — tied together
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bound — certain
  15. object — a thing
  16. stand — to bear
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. object — to protest
  24. pass — to succeed

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