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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fine — all right
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fine — high quality
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lean — thin
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rush — hurry
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bass — low music
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bass — the fish
  24. lean — to bend

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