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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 120 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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. ground — a position
  4. current — electric
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. track — to keep track
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ground — crushed
  11. current — happening now
  12. bound — tied together
  13. current — of water
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bound — obliged
  18. ground — the earth
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. track — a path
  22. track — a song
  23. firm — steady
  24. saw — the tool

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