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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: safe · perch · mate · racket · toast · tube · field · spell

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. perch — the fish
  5. toast — bread
  6. tube — the underground
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. tube — a container
  10. field — a subject
  11. spell — letters
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. field — farmland
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — to breed
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. mate — a partner
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. field — for sport

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