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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  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. wound — an injury
  3. face — to confront
  4. bound — certain
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. degree — temperature
  7. toast — bread
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bound — obliged
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. bank — for money
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. degree — from a university
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bank — of a river
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bank — for money
  21. face — to point toward
  22. degree — an amount
  23. patient — a sick person
  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