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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. foot — a measure
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bound — certain
  8. bound — tied together
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bank — of a river
  13. clip — for paper
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. clip — a video
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bank — for money
  22. clip — to cut
  23. date — the fruit
  24. bank — for money

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