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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 116 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 · chair · bass · chip · perch · saw · bay · present

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a leader
  7. present — a gift
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — decided
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bass — low music
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. saw — the tool
  17. present — there
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — the fish
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. firm — a company
  24. present — the time now

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