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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: nail · jam · degree · bound · file · bay · stand · patient

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stand — to bear
  5. file — a document
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. bound — certain
  8. degree — an amount
  9. bound — tied together
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. degree — temperature
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. file — a tool
  15. degree — from a university
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. file — a line of people
  24. jam — in traffic

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