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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.

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: rock · fan · patient · chip · perch · object · coach · safe

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. rock — music
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rock — a stone
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. chip — for betting
  24. fan — a supporter

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