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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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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: bound · lie · cabinet · pit · firm · rush · cap · patient

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. cap — of ice
  3. firm — decided
  4. bound — certain
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pit — a hole
  7. firm — steady
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. rush — hurry
  12. cap — a lid
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. firm — a company
  20. pit — in a race
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. cap — a hat
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cabinet — ministers

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