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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rush — hurry
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bound — obliged
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bat — the animal
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bound — certain
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bound — tied together
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. pass — a permit
  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