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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 116 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: mug · mark · pass · lie · patient · pound · fall · prune

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mug — a face
  9. fall — the season
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mark — a trace
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — a weight
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. fall — to drop
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pass — a permit
  23. prune — to trim
  24. patient — a sick person

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