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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.

Make a worksheet

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: kid · sharp · fine · hide · perch · racket · march · file

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as 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. file — a document
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. perch — the fish
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. fine — high quality
  7. file — a line of people
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. kid — child
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. kid — to tease
  13. march — the month
  14. march — music
  15. file — a tool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. march — the month
  21. sharp — clever
  22. fine — all right
  23. perch — for a bird
  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