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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: patient · leaves · foot · bound · wound · pitcher · bass · dip

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bound — obliged
  3. wound — an injury
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. foot — a measure
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bound — certain
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bound — tied together
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. dip — to sink
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bass — low music
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pitcher — a jug

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