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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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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: bear · firm · prune · temple · arm · patient · stick · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. firm — decided
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. prune — to trim
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. firm — a company
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bear — the animal
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. bear — the animal
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. firm — steady

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