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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. mug — to rob
  7. row — to paddle
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. date — the fruit
  15. pass — a permit
  16. mug — a face
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. prune — to trim
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rock — a stone
  21. row — a line
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rock — music
  24. mug — a cup

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