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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. perch — the fish
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. content — the amount
  5. staff — employees
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a skill
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. staff — a stick
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. content — happy
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. staff — employees

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