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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. pitch — completely
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. club — for dancing
  5. spring — of water
  6. club — a group
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. bound — obliged
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. club — for golf
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bound — tied together
  15. tear — to rip
  16. bound — certain
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. spring — the season
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. wind — moving air
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. spring — a coil
  24. tear — from crying

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