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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. prune — to trim
  3. fork — in a road
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. spring — of water
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. spring — a coil
  11. prune — to trim
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. suit — in cards
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. club — for golf
  16. spring — the season
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. club — for dancing
  20. object — to protest
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. club — a group
  23. object — an aim
  24. bear — the animal

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