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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Have you settled on 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. bound — certain
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. bound — obliged
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. club — for golf
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. date — the fruit
  9. wound — an injury
  10. snap — to click
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. club — for dancing
  13. wound — an injury
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. club — a group
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. wax — to grow
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bound — tied together
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. date — on the calendar
  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