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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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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: patient · prune · fork · stock · mug · suit · leaves · jam

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — to trim
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stock — goods
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. suit — in cards
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. mug — to rob
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. fork — in a road
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. suit — clothes
  24. stock — shares

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