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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 116 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: prune · stick · cue · court · patient · calf · face · suit

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. face — to point toward
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. face — to confront
  6. suit — to fit
  7. face — part of the head
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. court — for sport
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cue — a signal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. prune — to trim
  16. suit — clothes
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. prune — to trim
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. court — of law
  22. court — of a king
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. cue — for pool

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