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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: firm · clip · perch · patient · stick · rock · arm · craft

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. firm — decided
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. clip — a video
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rock — music
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — steady
  12. perch — the fish
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. clip — to cut
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. craft — boats
  23. clip — for paper
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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