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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. firm — a company
  4. key — in music
  5. prune — to trim
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. prune — to trim
  9. kid — to tease
  10. key — for a lock
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. firm — decided
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — a permit
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. firm — steady
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. kid — child
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. key — the most important part

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