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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 120 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 · pound · trunk · prune · firm · pass · stock · mate

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. mate — to breed
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. mate — a partner
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pass — a permit
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — goods
  15. pound — a weight
  16. prune — to trim
  17. firm — steady
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. firm — decided
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. stock — shares
  23. firm — a company
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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