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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 116 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: rush · charge · perch · degree · suit · deal · pass · patient

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rush — hurry
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. charge — a price
  7. pass — a permit
  8. deal — to handle
  9. charge — in control
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. suit — clothes
  14. degree — an amount
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. degree — from a university
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. degree — temperature
  24. perch — the fish

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