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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: patient · prune · mark · file · pit · bass · foot · safe

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pit — a hole
  7. foot — a measure
  8. prune — to trim
  9. file — a tool
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. file — a document
  13. bass — the fish
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bass — low music
  17. prune — to trim
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. file — a line of people
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mark — a trace

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