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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: toast · trunk · safe · perch · ball · chip

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. perch — the fish
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. chip — for betting
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. ball — a great time
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. ball — a dance
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. toast — bread

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