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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: stand · perch · bore · patient · dip · roll · leaves · fork

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a cake
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stand — to bear
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. perch — the fish
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — to tire
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. roll — a list
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. fork — in a road

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