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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 120 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: rest · perch · staff · chip · prune · lie · patient · suit

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. staff — employees
  6. rest — a break
  7. perch — the fish
  8. suit — in cards
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chip — to eat
  12. staff — employees
  13. suit — clothes
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. lie — to recline
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. staff — a stick
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. rest — what's left
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. prune — to trim
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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