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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: rock · wave · charge · fork · tube · row · perch · patient

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. row — to paddle
  7. rock — a stone
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rock — music
  10. fork — in a road
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. charge — a price
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. row — a line
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. tube — a container
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. perch — the fish
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. charge — in control
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. row — a quarrel

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