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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.

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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: lie · suit · patient · perch · swing · rush · trunk · shower

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. patient — a sick person
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. swing — in golf
  7. suit — clothes
  8. swing — to play on
  9. shower — rain
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. shower — to wash
  13. suit — in cards
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. perch — the fish
  17. suit — to fit
  18. swing — music
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. rush — hurry
  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