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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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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: kick · patient · fine · vault · foot · leaves · ruler · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. kick — in football
  15. fine — high quality
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fine — all right
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. vault — a safe
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — part of the body

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