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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.

Make a worksheet

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: perch · wind · ruler · pitcher · lie · patient · plane · can

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lie — to recline
  8. can — a tin
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. can — to be able to
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. can — a tin
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. perch — the fish
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. perch — for a bird

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