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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
468
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: suit · chip · lie · lash · land · pass · patient · bound

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. pass — a permit
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bound — obliged
  5. land — a country
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — to fit
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. land — to come down
  12. chip — for betting
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bound — tied together
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bound — certain
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. suit — in cards
  23. land — ground
  24. lash — an eyelash

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