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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. band — a ring
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. object — an aim
  7. wake — a trail
  8. club — for dancing
  9. prune — to trim
  10. object — a thing
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bank — for money
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bank — for money
  21. object — to protest
  22. band — a music group
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bank — of a river

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