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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: file · foot · ruler · bat · dip · perch · lean · patient

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. lean — to bend
  3. dip — to sink
  4. perch — the fish
  5. file — a tool
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. lean — thin
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. file — a line of people
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. bat — the animal
  17. foot — a measure
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. file — a document
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bat — for baseball

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