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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: mate · pitcher · cabinet · perch · dip · rock · trunk · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. staff — a stick
  3. mate — a partner
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. dip — to sink
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. staff — employees
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mate — to breed
  20. rock — music
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. perch — for a bird

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