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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: rock · can · patient · nail · firm · temple · pop · prune

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. prune — to trim
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. can — a tin
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. firm — decided
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. firm — steady
  12. rock — a stone
  13. pop — soda
  14. can — to be able to
  15. prune — to trim
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — music
  20. can — a tin
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — music

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