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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.

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: kick · perch · bulb · coach · nail · file · chair · stem

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. stem — to come from
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. file — a line of people
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bulb — for light
  11. kick — in football
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. perch — the fish
  15. file — a tool
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. chair — a leader
  24. nail — for a hammer

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