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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. wax — to grow
  4. last — to go on
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. prune — to trim
  7. last — final
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. mark — a grade
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. prune — to trim
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mark — a trace
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. last — finally
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mark — to pay attention

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