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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 116 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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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 · can · suit · firm · track · patient · ball · degree

  1. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. degree — from a university
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. firm — decided
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. suit — in cards
  7. perch — the fish
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. suit — clothes
  12. degree — temperature
  13. degree — an amount
  14. can — a tin
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ball — a great time
  17. can — a tin
  18. firm — steady
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. firm — a company
  21. can — to be able to
  22. track — a path
  23. ball — a dance
  24. patient — a sick person

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