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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rest · bay · patient · spell · rush · plane · prune · court

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. spell — a short time
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. court — for sport
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. court — of law
  13. rest — what's left
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. spell — magic
  18. rest — a break
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. court — of a king
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. spell — letters
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. rush — hurry

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