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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bound — certain
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rush — hurry
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spell — letters
  10. craft — boats
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. staff — a stick
  14. spell — magic
  15. bound — obliged
  16. chair — a leader
  17. craft — a skill
  18. staff — employees
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. staff — employees
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. patient — a sick person

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