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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: calf · safe · stock · pitcher · perch · prune · suit · hide

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. prune — to trim
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. perch — the fish
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. suit — in cards
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. stock — shares
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. suit — to fit
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. stock — goods
  18. prune — to trim
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. suit — clothes
  24. safe — out of danger

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