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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: lash · prune · patient · craft · ground · mouse · rash · firm

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. rash — a series
  4. ground — the earth
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. firm — a company
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rash — hasty
  9. ground — crushed
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. craft — a skill
  16. prune — to trim
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. firm — decided
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. craft — boats
  23. firm — steady
  24. rash — on the skin

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