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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.

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: lean · rock · patient · sharp · bass · fork · prune · cue

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. sharp — clever
  3. cue — a hint
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bass — the fish
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. rock — a stone
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. prune — to trim
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bass — low music
  13. lean — thin
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. lean — to bend
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rock — music
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. cue — a signal
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. prune — to trim

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