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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: prune · track · shower · roll · rush · tube · patient · charge

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. tube — the underground
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. prune — to trim
  5. roll — a list
  6. rush — hurry
  7. track — to keep track
  8. roll — a cake
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. charge — electricity
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. tube — a container
  13. charge — a price
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — rain
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. prune — to trim
  22. charge — in control
  23. shower — to wash
  24. prune — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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