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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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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: suit · patient · wound · tube · pass · row · perch · wave

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a line
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. tube — a container
  11. perch — the fish
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. suit — in cards
  14. tube — the underground
  15. wound — an injury
  16. suit — clothes
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pass — a permit
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — to succeed

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