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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
468
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 · wax · bowl · band · chip · charge · coach

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. file — a line of people
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. charge — in control
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. band — a ring
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. charge — a price
  17. perch — the fish
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. band — a music group
  20. charge — electricity
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. wax — to grow
  23. file — a tool
  24. chip — for betting

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