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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 common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  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. perch — the fish
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — an aim
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fine — high quality
  6. branch — a division
  7. wound — an injury
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. object — to protest
  13. chair — a leader
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. staff — employees
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. wound — an injury
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. staff — a stick
  23. branch — of a tree
  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