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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bound — obliged
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bound — certain
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. branch — a division
  9. band — a music group
  10. bound — tied together
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. suit — clothes
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — in cards
  15. band — a ring
  16. track — to keep track
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. suit — to fit
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. track — a song
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. track — a path

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