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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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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: face · can · bound · dip · patient · staff · track · wind

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bound — tied together
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bound — certain
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. face — to confront
  9. staff — employees
  10. can — to be able to
  11. dip — to sink
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. track — a path
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bound — obliged
  19. can — a tin
  20. wind — moving air
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. face — part of the head
  23. can — a tin
  24. track — a song

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