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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ball · wave · key · prune · hand · patient

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. prune — to trim
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. hand — help
  9. key — for a lock
  10. ball — a dance
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. hand — in cards
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. key — the most important part
  18. prune — to trim

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