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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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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: pass · kid · staff · file · content · perch · chair · suit

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. content — the amount
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. staff — employees
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. pass — a permit
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. staff — a stick
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. kid — child
  12. perch — the fish
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. chair — a leader
  15. staff — employees
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. file — a line of people
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. kid — to tease
  21. suit — clothes
  22. content — happy
  23. suit — in cards
  24. file — a tool

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