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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 116 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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. band — a ring
  5. club — a group
  6. can — to be able to
  7. club — for dancing
  8. can — a tin
  9. stand — to bear
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. club — for golf
  13. hand — help
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. perch — the fish
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. can — a tin
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. band — a music group
  24. hand — in cards

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