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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: can · band · squash · patient · stick · nail · bound · suit

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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. nail — on a finger
  4. can — a tin
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a music group
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. squash — to crush
  10. can — to be able to
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bound — obliged
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. suit — to fit
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. suit — clothes
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bound — tied together
  24. can — a tin

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