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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
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 · pop · craft · face · lash · rest · mug · patient

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. craft — a skill
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. face — to point toward
  9. pop — music
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — soda
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mug — a face
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. face — to confront
  18. rest — what's left
  19. craft — boats
  20. rest — a break
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. rest — what's left
  24. face — part of the head

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