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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: band · leaves · drill · prune · bark · lash · patient · stick

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. prune — to trim
  4. drill — the tool
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. drill — army training
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. band — a ring
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. drill — a practice
  19. prune — to trim
  20. band — a music group
  21. bark — to shout
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. leaves — lets stay

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