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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.

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
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: key · craft · file · mate · face · leaves · perch · march

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mate — a partner
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. march — music
  7. mate — a friend
  8. file — a tool
  9. key — in music
  10. march — the month
  11. craft — a skill
  12. key — the most important part
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. key — for a lock
  15. perch — the fish
  16. face — to confront
  17. march — the month
  18. craft — boats
  19. file — a line of people
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. mate — to breed
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to point toward
  24. leaves — to go away

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