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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.

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: lean · file · prune · patient · toast · season · mate · nail

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. lean — to bend
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. file — a document
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. mate — to breed
  9. toast — bread
  10. lean — thin
  11. season — of the year
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. prune — to trim
  16. file — a tool
  17. season — in sport
  18. mate — a friend
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. mate — a partner
  23. file — a line of people
  24. prune — to trim

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