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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: sharp · calf · patient · straw · shower · perch · mate · firm

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. mate — a partner
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mate — to breed
  6. sharp — clever
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. shower — rain
  15. firm — a company
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. shower — to wash
  19. firm — steady
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. mate — a friend
  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