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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: cap · season · patient · hide · rush · bound · current · bay

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. current — happening now
  3. season — of the year
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. current — of water
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. current — electric
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. cap — a lid
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bound — certain
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. cap — a hat
  24. season — in sport

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