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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 valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. object — an aim
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. scale — size or range
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — to trim
  9. scale — in music
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rock — a stone
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. band — a ring
  15. rock — music
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. band — a music group
  19. stand — to bear
  20. object — to protest
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stand — for spectators

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