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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. rest — a break
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bound — obliged
  8. chest — of your body
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. charge — in control
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. charge — a price
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. charge — electricity
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. foot — a measure
  20. rest — what's left
  21. chest — a box
  22. chest — of your body
  23. bound — tied together
  24. rest — what's left

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