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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. march — music
  4. bore — to tire
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. bass — low music
  12. bound — obliged
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. march — the month
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. bound — tied together
  19. wax — to grow
  20. march — the month
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bore — to drill
  24. racket — for tennis

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