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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: spring · kick · safe · tube · suit · bark · bound · patient

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. spring — of water
  3. tube — the underground
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. spring — the season
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. tube — a container
  15. spring — a coil
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. kick — in football
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bark — to shout
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. suit — to fit

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