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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: content · kick · pass · ruler · prune · patient · rash · jam

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. prune — to trim
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. prune — to trim
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. content — the amount
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. pass — a permit
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. kick — in football
  20. rash — hasty
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. content — happy
  24. rash — a series

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