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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 116 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: cabinet · perch · mate · straw · rush · patient · charge · present

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  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. straw — dry grass
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. charge — in control
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. mate — a friend
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. charge — a price
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. present — there
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. charge — electricity
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rush — hurry
  18. present — the time now
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. mate — to breed
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. present — a gift
  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