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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bound — obliged
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — for sport
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. suit — to fit
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bound — tied together
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. court — of law
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stock — shares
  18. dip — to sink
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stock — goods
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. suit — in cards

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