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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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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: calf · march · cue · patient · prune · lie · club · wound

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. prune — to trim
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. march — music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. club — a group
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. cue — for pool
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. club — for dancing
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. cue — a hint
  16. prune — to trim
  17. march — the month
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. march — the month
  22. cue — a signal
  23. wound — an injury
  24. club — for golf

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