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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: safe · prune · saw · nail · stick · patient · leaves · rest

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rest — a break
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. prune — to trim
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rest — what's left

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