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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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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: kick · pop · perch · present · lie · object · mate · patient

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. object — an aim
  3. lie — to recline
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. kick — in football
  6. present — there
  7. pop — soda
  8. mate — a partner
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. pop — to visit
  14. object — a thing
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. perch — the fish
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. mate — to breed
  21. object — to protest
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. mate — a friend

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