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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: sharp · file · march · craft · pass · perch · kick · ruler

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  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. sharp — clever
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pass — a permit
  6. march — the month
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. file — a line of people
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. craft — a skill
  17. file — a tool
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. craft — boats
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. kick — in football
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. file — a document
  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