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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.

Make a worksheet

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: patient · toast · perch · ground · rash · file · stick · fan

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ground — a position
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. rash — a series
  13. toast — bread
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ground — crushed
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. ground — the earth
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rash — hasty
  23. file — a document
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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