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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 116 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 · deal · perch · march · staff · cue · tube · chair

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. deal — to handle
  5. march — music
  6. cue — for pool
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. chair — a leader
  9. perch — the fish
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. staff — employees
  12. rock — a stone
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. tube — a container
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. staff — a stick
  17. cue — a signal
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. rock — music
  20. march — the month
  21. cue — a hint
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. staff — employees

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