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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: perch · swing · scale · rock · staff · wound · deal · patient

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. staff — a stick
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wound — an injury
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. swing — in golf
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. staff — employees
  11. perch — the fish
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. staff — employees
  15. scale — size or range
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — music
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wound — an injury
  23. scale — in music
  24. deal — an agreement

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