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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.

Make a worksheet

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: perch · suit · hide · prune · key · stick · file · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. key — in music
  9. key — the most important part
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rock — music
  12. prune — to trim
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. file — a line of people
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. file — a tool
  17. suit — in cards
  18. file — a document
  19. key — for a lock
  20. suit — to fit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. suit — clothes
  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