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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: firm · charge · rock · bowl · stick · perch · jam · file

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — a company
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — a stone
  8. charge — a price
  9. rock — music
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. charge — in control
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. file — a line of people
  20. perch — the fish
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. firm — steady
  24. file — a document

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