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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
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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: perch · patient · swing · ball · fall · rock · calf · sharp

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. swing — to play on
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fall — the season
  9. rock — music
  10. swing — music
  11. perch — the fish
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rock — a stone
  15. fall — to drop
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. sharp — clever
  19. swing — in golf
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. ball — a great time
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. ball — a dance
  24. fall — to drop

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