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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: foot · fine · current · shower · pop · perch · staff · saw

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. shower — to wash
  5. fine — high quality
  6. pop — soda
  7. current — happening now
  8. saw — the tool
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. staff — employees
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. staff — a stick
  14. foot — a measure
  15. shower — rain
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — music
  19. current — electric
  20. staff — employees
  21. perch — the fish
  22. current — of water
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. fine — all right

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