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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — a stick
  6. chest — a box
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. present — the time now
  9. perch — the fish
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. chest — of your body
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. snap — to click
  19. chest — of your body
  20. present — there
  21. present — a gift
  22. staff — employees
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — a trail

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