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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: perch · patient · bay · season · hide · suit

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. season — of the year
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. suit — clothes
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. suit — in cards
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. season — in sport
  18. suit — to fit

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