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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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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: pit · patient · band · leaves · calf · cell · bound · lean

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. lean — to bend
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pit — a hole
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. band — a ring
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — tied together
  14. cell — in biology
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. cell — a phone
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. lean — thin
  21. bound — obliged
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. band — a music group
  24. leaves — to go away

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