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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · bowl · craft · tear · bound · patient

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. craft — a skill
  4. tear — to rip
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. tear — from crying
  7. bound — tied together
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. tear — from crying
  10. firm — decided
  11. craft — boats
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. firm — steady
  17. bound — obliged
  18. firm — a company

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