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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
YesNo
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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: wake · racket · pass · perch · fine · saw · file · sharp

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. file — a document
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. pass — a permit
  10. saw — the tool
  11. perch — the fish
  12. fine — all right
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. wake — a trail
  16. file — a line of people
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. fine — high quality
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. sharp — clever

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