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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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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: firm · staff · pass · roll · perch · game · sharp · ruler

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. firm — decided
  3. game — a match
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. sharp — clever
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. game — wild animals
  12. firm — a company
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pass — a permit
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. roll — a list
  22. staff — a stick
  23. firm — steady
  24. perch — the fish

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