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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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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: ruler · chest · chip · perch · bay · patient · coach · wound

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. chip — for betting
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. chest — a box
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chest — of your body

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