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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: stick · degree · bark · nail · patient · bay · perch · mate

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mate — to breed
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bark — to shout
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. degree — from a university
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. degree — temperature
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. mate — a partner
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. degree — an amount

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