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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: row · current · vault · board · pass · saw · patient · bound

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. row — a line
  3. current — of water
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bound — certain
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. board — to get on
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pass — a permit
  11. vault — a safe
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. saw — the tool
  14. current — electric
  15. current — happening now
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. board — a committee
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bound — tied together
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. board — a flat piece

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