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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. current — electric
  9. current — of water
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. prune — to trim
  15. current — happening now
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bark — to shout
  24. patient — a sick person

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