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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. swing — to play on
  9. prune — to trim
  10. swing — in golf
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. pit — a hole
  16. swing — music
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — magic
  20. spell — letters
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pit — in a race

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