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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 112 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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: staff · perch · fan · wave · file · charge

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. staff — employees
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. charge — in control
  9. staff — a stick
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. staff — employees
  13. charge — a price
  14. file — a tool
  15. file — a line of people
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. file — a document
  18. fan — to cool the air

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