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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
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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: mouse · patient · nail · wind · land · ruler · ball · prune

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  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. wind — moving air
  2. prune — to trim
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. land — a country
  19. land — to come down
  20. wind — moving air
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. land — ground
  23. wind — to turn a key
  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