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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bound · foot · ball · fork · lean · racket · patient · band

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. ball — a dance
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. ball — a great time
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bound — certain
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. fork — in a road
  15. lean — thin
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lean — to bend
  18. band — a music group
  19. band — a ring
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. bound — tied together
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. ball — a round shape

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