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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: firm · charge · patient · bulb · march · wound · bound · coach

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. march — the month
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. bulb — for light
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wound — an injury
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bound — certain
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. firm — a company
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bound — obliged
  17. march — the month
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. charge — electricity
  20. firm — decided
  21. charge — in control
  22. firm — steady
  23. bound — tied together
  24. march — music

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