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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: key · mug · hide · staff · band · perch · drill · pitcher

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. mug — to rob
  3. staff — a stick
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. key — in music
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. mug — a cup
  8. key — the most important part
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. key — for a lock
  14. band — a music group
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. drill — the tool
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. drill — army training
  19. band — a ring
  20. drill — a practice
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mug — a face
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. hide — to keep secret

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