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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 116 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 · chip · mine · staff · march · mark · cabinet · scale

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. scale — size or range
  4. mine — for digging
  5. march — the month
  6. perch — the fish
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. march — the month
  9. chip — for betting
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. scale — in music
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. staff — employees
  16. chip — to eat
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. staff — employees
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. march — music
  22. staff — a stick
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mine — an explosive

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