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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: rash · patient · track · fork · prune · nail · stick · bound

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rash — hasty
  6. track — a song
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bound — certain
  9. prune — to trim
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. track — a path
  12. fork — in a road
  13. bound — tied together
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. track — to keep track
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rash — a series
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. rash — on the skin

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