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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 116 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: wake · mouse · stick · prune · sharp · hide · nail · patient

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  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. prune — the fruit
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. prune — to trim
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. wake — a trail
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. sharp — clever
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mouse — the animal
  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