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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: court · patient · bear · wave · toast · perch · object · date

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  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. wave — with your hand
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. object — an aim
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — the fruit
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. object — a thing
  8. bear — the animal
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. object — to protest
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. court — of a king
  19. toast — bread
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. court — of law
  22. court — for sport
  23. bear — to put up with
  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