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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: patient · fan · object · bulb · perch · sharp · suit · net

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. net — for catching
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. object — a thing
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. object — an aim
  12. suit — in cards
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. perch — the fish
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. sharp — clever
  20. suit — clothes
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. object — to protest
  23. net — after costs
  24. suit — to fit

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