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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: racket · prune · ruler · leaves · staff · patient · nail · band

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. staff — employees
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. band — a ring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. prune — to trim
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. band — a music group
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. staff — employees
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. staff — a stick
  24. racket — for tennis

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