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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: can · bound · bulb · deal · temple · chest · patient · stand

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. stand — to bear
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. deal — to handle
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. chest — a box
  11. chest — of your body
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bound — tied together
  15. can — a tin
  16. bound — certain
  17. can — a tin
  18. bound — obliged
  19. chest — of your body
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. can — to be able to
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bulb — for light

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