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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
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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: date · perch · file · cabinet · firm · pop · fan · ground

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. file — a document
  3. pop — soda
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — a position
  9. perch — the fish
  10. file — a line of people
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pop — music
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. date — the fruit
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. firm — a company
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ground — crushed
  21. firm — steady
  22. file — a tool
  23. firm — decided
  24. cabinet — ministers

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