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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · swing · patient · rock · bound · hide · bowl · firm

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — a stone
  3. swing — to play on
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. swing — music
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. mine — for digging
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rock — music
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. swing — in golf
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — steady
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bound — tied together

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