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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: wax · patient · firm · net · perch · bay · chair · bound

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. firm — a company
  6. bound — tied together
  7. net — after costs
  8. firm — steady
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. wax — to grow
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. net — for catching
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bound — certain
  16. perch — the fish
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. net — in sport
  20. bound — obliged
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. chair — a leader
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. firm — decided

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