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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: prune · rock · mate · patient · kick · ruler · snap · nail

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. rock — music
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. rock — a stone
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. snap — to click
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. prune — to trim
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mate — a partner
  18. prune — to trim
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mate — to breed
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. mate — a friend
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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