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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. saw — the tool
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pass — a permit
  6. can — a tin
  7. saw — the tool
  8. spring — of water
  9. lie — to recline
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. can — a tin
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. spring — the season
  18. bound — obliged
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bound — certain

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