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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. can — a tin
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. pop — soda
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pop — to visit
  14. rash — a series
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rash — hasty
  18. can — a tin
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pop — music
  21. bound — obliged
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bound — certain

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