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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
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: lie · court · spring · rock · present · suit · perch · patient

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. rock — a stone
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. present — a gift
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. rock — music
  9. lie — to recline
  10. perch — the fish
  11. court — of a king
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — to fit
  18. court — for sport
  19. spring — the season
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. present — there
  22. present — the time now
  23. spring — of water
  24. spring — a coil

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