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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: content · fan · bank · calf · patient · bark · safe · perch

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. perch — the fish
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bark — to shout
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — for money
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. content — the amount
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. bank — of a river
  24. content — happy

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