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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 120 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.

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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: spring · stand · perch · nail · shower · ball · patient · pop

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. shower — rain
  3. spring — the season
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pop — music
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. perch — the fish
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. spring — a coil
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — soda
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. shower — to wash
  23. spring — of water
  24. nail — for a hammer

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