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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: bear · bound · wave · fine · leaves · sharp · ball · patient

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. sharp — clever
  4. ball — a great time
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fine — high quality
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bear — the animal
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. bear — the animal
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bound — certain
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fine — all right

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