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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: staff · safe · scale · bank · rule · pitcher · perch · lean

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. staff — employees
  5. staff — employees
  6. lean — thin
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bank — for money
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. rule — a law
  12. scale — in music
  13. perch — the fish
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. staff — a stick
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — size or range
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bank — for money
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bank — of a river

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