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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: perch · game · wake · safe · bay · firm · straw · sharp

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. game — wild animals
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. wake — a trail
  7. game — a match
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. perch — the fish
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. firm — decided
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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