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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: perch · patient · club · hide · fan · squash · staff · stand

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. staff — employees
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. club — for golf
  11. squash — the sport
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. stand — to bear
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. perch — the fish
  16. staff — a stick
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. squash — to crush
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. club — a group
  22. club — for dancing
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. perch — for a bird

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