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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  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. wave — a sudden rise
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bound — certain
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. stock — shares
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. prune — to trim
  19. stand — to bear
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stock — goods
  22. bound — obliged
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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