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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 ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chip — to eat
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — to crush
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. prune — to trim
  21. squash — the sport
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bear — the animal
  24. nail — for a hammer

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