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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. swing — in golf
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stock — goods
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bound — tied together
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. swing — music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — shares

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