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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
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: game · wound · perch · bank · row · patient · leaves · bulb

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bank — of a river
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. wound — an injury
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. row — a line
  13. bank — for money
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bank — for money
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. bulb — for light
  18. game — a match
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wound — an injury
  21. game — wild animals
  22. perch — the fish
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. patient — a sick person

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