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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: stem · mouse · calf · perch · patient · wound · suit · chest

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wound — an injury
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. perch — the fish
  13. stem — to come from
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — to fit
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. chest — of your body
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. chest — of your body
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. chest — a box
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. suit — clothes

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