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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: pop · staff · wave · prune · pass · bay · patient · perch

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. pop — soda
  4. prune — to trim
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. staff — employees
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pop — to visit
  17. perch — the fish
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. pop — music
  20. staff — a stick
  21. prune — to trim
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. staff — employees
  24. pass — a permit

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