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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
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: clip · object · patient · stand · mug · hide · racket · perch

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. perch — the fish
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. mug — a face
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. object — a thing
  8. clip — for paper
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. object — an aim
  13. stand — to bear
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. clip — a video
  18. object — to protest
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. clip — to cut
  22. mug — to rob
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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