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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: key · mug · wound · roll · prune · court · patient · rule

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. court — of law
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. roll — a list
  6. court — of a king
  7. mug — a face
  8. rule — government
  9. key — in music
  10. wound — an injury
  11. court — for sport
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. mug — a cup
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. key — the most important part
  18. roll — a cake
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mug — to rob
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. wound — an injury
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. rule — a law

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