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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 120 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: mug · perch · patient · track · pitcher · tear · squash · lash

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. tear — from crying
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. tear — from crying
  7. mug — a face
  8. squash — to crush
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a song
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. mug — to rob
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. tear — to rip
  21. track — a path
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. squash — the sport
  24. perch — the fish

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