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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
468
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: prune · fine · lie · ball · patient · mouse · cell · suit

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  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. ball — a great time
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. suit — clothes
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lie — to recline
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. suit — in cards
  9. cell — in biology
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. suit — to fit
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. ball — a dance
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. fine — all right
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cell — a phone
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fine — a penalty
  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