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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: march · leaves · firm · rest · hide · suit · prune · patient

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. suit — to fit
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. firm — steady
  5. suit — clothes
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. march — the month
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rest — what's left
  11. march — music
  12. prune — to trim
  13. firm — decided
  14. march — the month
  15. prune — to trim
  16. suit — in cards
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. firm — a company

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