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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 · last · bark · charge · key · band · staff · bound

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bound — obliged
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bark — to shout
  5. key — in music
  6. bound — certain
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a ring
  10. bound — tied together
  11. key — for a lock
  12. charge — a price
  13. last — final
  14. last — to go on
  15. band — a music group
  16. last — finally
  17. charge — in control
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. key — the most important part
  20. staff — a stick
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. staff — employees

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