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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: saw · file · chest · suit · fine · perch · key · bat

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fine — high quality
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. file — a tool
  7. chest — of your body
  8. perch — the fish
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a document
  16. fine — all right
  17. bat — the animal
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. chest — a box
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. key — in music
  22. key — the most important part
  23. chest — of your body
  24. saw — 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