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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 120 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: lean · patient · shower · coach · lash · fan · perch · ruler

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. shower — rain
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. shower — to wash
  17. lean — thin
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fan — a supporter

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