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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: perch · file · bowl · staff · mug · kid · jam · nail

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. perch — the fish
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a line of people
  9. kid — child
  10. mug — to rob
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mug — a cup
  13. staff — employees
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. mug — a face
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. kid — to tease
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. file — a tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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