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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pop · patient · straw · rest · perch · stand · nail · current

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. stand — to bear
  6. current — electric
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. perch — the fish
  11. rest — what's left
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. current — happening now
  16. current — of water
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — soda
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. rest — what's left

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