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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 · staff · band · safe · prune · lean · deal · tube

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. staff — employees
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. tube — a container
  7. lean — thin
  8. band — a ring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. prune — to trim
  16. band — a music group
  17. tube — the underground
  18. prune — to trim
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. deal — to handle
  21. lean — to bend
  22. staff — a stick
  23. staff — employees
  24. patient — a sick person

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