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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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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: trunk · perch · patient · bay · staff · cell · suit · content

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  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. content — videos and posts
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. content — happy
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. content — the amount
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. suit — clothes
  14. cell — in biology
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. staff — employees
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. cell — a phone
  24. perch — the fish

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