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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: root · march · patient · bound · sharp · cabinet · mug · object

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. march — the month
  4. mug — a face
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. march — music
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. sharp — clever
  9. object — to protest
  10. march — the month
  11. root — of a word
  12. bound — tied together
  13. root — of a plant
  14. object — an aim
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. root — the cause
  17. bound — certain
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. mug — to rob
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. object — a thing
  24. mug — a cup

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