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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. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. firm — a company
  5. craft — a skill
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. kid — to tease
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. craft — boats
  13. rash — hasty
  14. perch — the fish
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rash — a series
  20. kid — child
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. sharp — exactly

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