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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
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: scale · drill · patient · wake · row · perch · suit · pass

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. perch — the fish
  4. drill — the tool
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — a practice
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. wake — a trail
  16. row — to paddle
  17. row — a line
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pass — a permit
  20. scale — size or range
  21. suit — in cards
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. scale — in music

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