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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: roll · nail · hand · prune · patient · suit · spring · toast

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. hand — in cards
  4. roll — a list
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. spring — of water
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. hand — help
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. roll — a cake
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. spring — the season
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. spring — a coil
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. prune — to trim
  20. toast — bread
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. prune — to trim
  24. patient — a sick person

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