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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 116 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: patient · row · nail · mug · plane · perch · lie · bowl

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mug — a face
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lie — to recline
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mug — to rob
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mug — a cup
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. row — a line
  24. row — to paddle

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