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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 116 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: patient · leaves · file · shower · wave · prune · spell · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. file — a line of people
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. file — a document
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. spell — a short time
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. stand — to bear
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. shower — rain
  14. prune — to trim
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. file — a tool
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — magic
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. wave — of the sea

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