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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: hide · patient · fan · wake · fine · wound · ruler · prune

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. prune — to trim
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. prune — to trim
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. fine — all right
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wound — an injury
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wound — an injury
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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