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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 120 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: ruler · staff · chair · bowl · dip · net · perch · ground

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. staff — a stick
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. staff — employees
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. ground — a position
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. staff — employees
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. perch — the fish
  19. net — for catching
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a leader
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. ground — the earth
  24. bowl — a dish

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