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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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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: file · toast · mate · perch · deal · nail · root · stick

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. file — a document
  3. toast — bread
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. root — the cause
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mate — to breed
  10. file — a line of people
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mate — a friend
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. root — of a plant
  17. mate — a partner
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. root — of a word
  21. file — a tool
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — the fish

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