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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: club · bore · perch · firm · rush · bulb · patient · staff

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bore — to drill
  4. club — a group
  5. firm — a company
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. staff — employees
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. rush — hurry
  11. firm — steady
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. club — for golf
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. staff — employees
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. club — for dancing
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. staff — a stick
  24. perch — the fish

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