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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: patient · bay · stick · season · plane · bear · perch · swing

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. perch — the fish
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. season — of the year
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. swing — music
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. season — in sport
  14. bear — the animal
  15. swing — to play on
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bear — the animal
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. plane — a tool

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