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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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · rash · patient · racket · march · perch · rush · bear

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. march — music
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. perch — the fish
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rash — a series
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rash — hasty
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. march — the month
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. march — the month
  24. bear — the animal

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