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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pop — to visit
  3. game — wild animals
  4. pop — music
  5. bound — certain
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. land — to come down
  8. pop — soda
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. suit — to fit
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bound — obliged
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. land — ground
  17. game — a match
  18. land — a country
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — to drill
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bound — tied together

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