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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · rush · arm · stem · staff · patient · squash · lie

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. lie — to recline
  3. stem — to come from
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. staff — employees
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. staff — a stick
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. staff — employees
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. perch — the fish
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rush — hurry
  24. stem — of a plant

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