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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. spring — the season
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mark — a trace
  6. current — of water
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. current — electric
  9. bound — certain
  10. spring — a coil
  11. bound — tied together
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. current — happening now
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bound — obliged
  20. pass — a permit
  21. spring — of water
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. lie — to recline
  24. lie — an untruth

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