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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.

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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 · court · cabinet · pass · tear · staff · bound · mark

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bound — tied together
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pass — a permit
  7. staff — employees
  8. mark — a grade
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. court — of law
  11. tear — to rip
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. staff — employees
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bound — certain
  18. court — for sport
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. court — of a king
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bound — obliged
  24. tear — from crying

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