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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bound — certain
  6. staff — employees
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — tied together
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fine — high quality
  13. squash — to crush
  14. rush — hurry
  15. fine — all right
  16. bulb — for light
  17. march — the month
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. march — music
  22. march — the month
  23. bulb — for light
  24. squash — the sport

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