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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: sharp · pound · patient · march · perch · bulb · lean · current

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. march — music
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. current — of water
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — electric
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. march — the month
  13. pound — a weight
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. march — the month
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. lean — to bend
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lean — thin
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. perch — the fish
  24. sharp — clever

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