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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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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: wind · stock · hide · rush · firm · rule · patient · bound

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wind — moving air
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bound — tied together
  6. wind — moving air
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. bound — obliged
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. rule — a law
  11. stock — goods
  12. firm — steady
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. rule — government
  15. stock — shares
  16. firm — a company
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bound — certain
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. firm — decided
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. rush — hurry
  24. hide — to keep secret

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