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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. track — a song
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bound — tied together
  7. capital — money
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. track — a path
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. track — to keep track
  13. chest — of your body
  14. capital — a city
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chest — a box
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. chest — of your body
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bound — certain

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