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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · leaves · wound · suit · prune · bay · last · staff

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. staff — a stick
  6. staff — employees
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. prune — to trim
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. staff — employees
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wound — an injury
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. suit — clothes
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. suit — in cards
  21. last — finally
  22. prune — to trim
  23. last — final
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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