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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: fine · file · wave · chip · press · perch · foot · staff

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. fine — all right
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. staff — a stick
  5. chip — to eat
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. staff — employees
  8. press — a publisher
  9. press — to push
  10. file — a tool
  11. press — newspapers
  12. perch — the fish
  13. staff — employees
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. file — a line of people
  22. chip — for betting
  23. fine — high quality
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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