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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: patient · scale · prune · rush · toast · roll · bulb · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. prune — to trim
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bulb — for light
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. rest — a break
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. roll — a cake
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — size or range
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. roll — a list
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. toast — bread

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