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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. bound — certain
  3. staff — employees
  4. degree — from a university
  5. stock — goods
  6. ground — the earth
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. degree — temperature
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — a position
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bound — tied together
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. degree — an amount
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. staff — employees
  19. suit — to fit
  20. stock — shares
  21. bound — obliged
  22. staff — a stick
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — hurry

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