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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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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: ruler · nail · rest · patient · rush · bound · wave · lie

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bound — tied together
  3. lie — to recline
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. bound — certain
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. rest — a break
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. rest — what's left
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. rest — what's left

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