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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 120 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mark — a grade
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — in sport
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. craft — boats
  11. season — of the year
  12. perch — the fish
  13. mark — a trace
  14. rock — a stone
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rock — music
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. craft — a handicraft

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