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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
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: racket · perch · rock · patient · tear · calf · spring · board

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. spring — a coil
  3. rock — a stone
  4. perch — the fish
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. tear — from crying
  9. board — to get on
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. spring — of water
  12. board — a committee
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. spring — the season
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. tear — from crying
  24. racket — a loud noise

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