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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bound — certain
  3. suit — to fit
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. rush — hurry
  7. spring — of water
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. swing — music
  11. swing — to play on
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. net — after costs
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. swing — in golf
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bound — obliged
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bound — tied together
  21. spring — a coil
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. spring — the season

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