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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 116 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bound — tied together
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. dip — to sink
  7. key — the most important part
  8. shower — to wash
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. key — for a lock
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bound — certain
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. stand — to bear
  18. key — in music
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. bound — obliged
  21. deal — to handle
  22. shower — rain
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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