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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: rest · prune · ruler · safe · patient · cell · bass · mug

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bass — low music
  6. mug — a face
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bass — the fish
  12. cell — a phone
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cell — in biology
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. rest — a break
  20. mug — to rob
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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