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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. prune — to trim
  4. scale — size or range
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. object — to protest
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. wake — a trail
  19. pass — a permit
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. prune — to trim
  22. object — an aim
  23. scale — in music
  24. object — a thing

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