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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: chair · present · staff · perch · arm · wax · patient · object

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. present — the time now
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — a thing
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. present — there
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. staff — employees
  13. staff — a stick
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. present — a gift
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. staff — employees
  20. object — an aim
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. chair — a leader

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