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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
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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: fine · perch · bat · face · suit · leaves · pop · patient

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. suit — to fit
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. face — part of the head
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bat — the animal
  11. fine — high quality
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. pop — soda
  16. suit — in cards
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pop — music
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. fine — all right
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fine — a penalty

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