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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: present · craft · perch · wave · can · chip · file · march

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. chip — to eat
  5. present — there
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. file — a document
  8. craft — boats
  9. march — the month
  10. chip — for betting
  11. can — a tin
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. perch — the fish
  15. can — a tin
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. file — a line of people
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. can — to be able to

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