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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 116 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: current · season · coach · safe · lean · patient · bound · rule

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — a law
  5. bound — obliged
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. season — of the year
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — certain
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. current — happening now
  17. lean — to bend
  18. current — of water
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. season — in sport
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. current — electric
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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