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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: patient · firm · arm · perch · pound · rush · jam · mouse

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. perch — the fish
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. firm — a company
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pound — a weight
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. rush — hurry

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