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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. perch — the fish
  3. file — a line of people
  4. firm — decided
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mate — a partner
  7. file — a document
  8. roll — a list
  9. firm — steady
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mate — a friend
  17. firm — a company
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mate — to breed
  21. can — a tin
  22. file — a tool
  23. staff — employees
  24. perch — for a bird

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