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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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Word bank
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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: safe · roll · trunk · perch · wake · lie · mate · drill

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. roll — a list
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. perch — the fish
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. lie — to recline
  11. drill — the tool
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. drill — a practice
  14. mate — a partner
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. drill — army training
  20. roll — a cake
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. mate — a friend
  24. wake — a trail

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