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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: perch · row · firm · chair · saw · fine · face · drill

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. drill — a practice
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. firm — a company
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. drill — army training
  7. row — a line
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — high quality
  11. face — part of the head
  12. saw — the tool
  13. row — to paddle
  14. firm — decided
  15. face — to confront
  16. firm — steady
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. fine — all right
  19. perch — the fish
  20. saw — the tool
  21. chair — a leader
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. face — to point toward
  24. drill — the tool

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