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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 120 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: object · bulb · leaves · safe · perch · fork · pound · nail

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. object — a thing
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pound — a weight
  5. object — to protest
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. object — an aim
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fork — in a road
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bulb — for light
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bulb — for light

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