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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
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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: lie · mate · tube · charge · saw · rule · prune · patient

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. charge — a price
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rule — government
  6. saw — the tool
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mate — a friend
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. prune — to trim
  11. charge — electricity
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. mate — to breed
  17. tube — the underground
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. prune — to trim
  20. charge — in control
  21. lie — to recline
  22. mate — a partner
  23. tube — a container
  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