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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chest · temple · fan · tube · board · perch · mug · staff

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. staff — employees
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. chest — of your body
  9. mug — to rob
  10. board — to get on
  11. mug — a cup
  12. board — a committee
  13. perch — the fish
  14. tube — a container
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mug — a face
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — a stick
  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