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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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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: club · firm · scale · suit · patient · snap · can · bound

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. suit — clothes
  3. firm — steady
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. scale — size or range
  8. club — for golf
  9. firm — a company
  10. scale — in music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for dancing
  14. bound — tied together
  15. firm — decided
  16. bound — obliged
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to click
  22. can — a tin
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. suit — in cards

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