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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 116 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. prune — to trim
  4. suit — clothes
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. chip — to eat
  9. prune — to trim
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. capital — money
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. rush — hurry
  16. capital — a city
  17. suit — in cards
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. suit — to fit
  24. leaves — lets stay

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