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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: tube · stand · row · arm · file · perch · stick · fine

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. fine — high quality
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. tube — the underground
  8. file — a line of people
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. fine — all right
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. file — a tool
  15. tube — a container
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. row — to paddle
  18. perch — the fish
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — to bear
  21. row — a line
  22. file — a document
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. stand — on your feet

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