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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: hide · sharp · patient · toast · wave · jam · date · perch

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. toast — bread
  4. sharp — clever
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. perch — the fish
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. date — the fruit
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. hide — animal skin

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