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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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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: perch · rush · bank · kid · foot · fine · file · chip

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. file — a document
  3. chip — to eat
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. fine — all right
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. file — a tool
  9. fine — high quality
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. kid — child
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bank — for money
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. rush — hurry
  17. bank — of a river
  18. perch — the fish
  19. file — a line of people
  20. bank — for money
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. chip — for betting
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. foot — a measure

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