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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: patient · bark · stock · rule · suit · dip · kick · prune

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. dip — to sink
  3. suit — clothes
  4. prune — to trim
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. stock — goods
  12. bark — to shout
  13. rule — government
  14. suit — in cards
  15. rule — a law
  16. stock — shares
  17. prune — to trim
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — a thrill

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