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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: mark · board · patient · band · prune · wake · mate · mine

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wake — a trail
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. band — a music group
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. mate — a friend
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mate — to breed
  20. band — a ring
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mate — a partner
  24. patient — a sick person

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