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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 120 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
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: net · stock · charge · arm · file · chest · suit · perch

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. file — a tool
  3. chest — of your body
  4. suit — clothes
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. chest — a box
  7. perch — the fish
  8. net — for catching
  9. charge — a price
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. net — in sport
  14. file — a line of people
  15. charge — electricity
  16. chest — of your body
  17. net — after costs
  18. suit — in cards
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. charge — in control
  21. file — a document
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stock — shares
  24. arm — part of the body

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