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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 120 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: patient · mark · spring · object · firm · bound · rush · tube

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. spring — the season
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bound — tied together
  7. firm — decided
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bound — obliged
  10. object — to protest
  11. spring — of water
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rush — hurry
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. firm — a company
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. object — an aim
  18. tube — a container
  19. firm — steady
  20. spring — a coil
  21. object — a thing
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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