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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
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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 · bear · file · charge · mouse · straw · present · perch

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. file — a line of people
  3. perch — the fish
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. file — a document
  6. charge — a price
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. present — a gift
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. charge — in control
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. staff — employees
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. present — the time now
  18. staff — employees
  19. bear — the animal
  20. present — there
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. charge — electricity
  23. file — a tool
  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