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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bound — obliged
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bound — certain
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. shower — to wash
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bound — tied together
  10. current — of water
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. current — happening now
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. current — electric
  18. rest — a break
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. pass — a permit
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. shower — rain

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