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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: prune · lean · cold · cabinet · safe · suit · patient · stock

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cold — not warm
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. stock — goods
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cold — an illness
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stock — shares
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. prune — to trim
  17. suit — in cards
  18. lean — thin
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lean — to bend
  24. cabinet — ministers

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