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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
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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: scale · wound · stem · perch · patient · toast · chair · roll

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  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. roll — on a roll
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. roll — a list
  6. toast — bread
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. scale — in music
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. scale — size or range
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. stem — to come from
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. chair — a leader
  21. wound — an injury
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. roll — a cake
  24. perch — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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