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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bound — obliged
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. ground — crushed
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. craft — boats
  11. content — happy
  12. craft — a skill
  13. ground — the earth
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. content — the amount
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. ground — a position
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bound — certain
  24. bowl — a football final

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