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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.

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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 ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. scale — size or range
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. scale — in music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. fine — high quality
  12. snap — to click
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rock — music
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. prune — to trim
  17. rock — a stone
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. prune — to trim
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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