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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.

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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: net · charge · perch · rush · bulb · hide · patient · wound

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. net — for catching
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. perch — the fish
  8. wound — an injury
  9. rush — hurry
  10. charge — a price
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bulb — for light
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — in control
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bulb — for light
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — in sport

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