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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: game · suit · bound · mate · patient · pound · club · fan

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bound — obliged
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pound — a weight
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. mate — a partner
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mate — to breed
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — wild animals
  13. suit — to fit
  14. club — for dancing
  15. mate — a friend
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. club — for golf
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. game — a match
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. bound — tied together
  23. club — a group
  24. bound — certain

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