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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: craft · cell · stock · staff · lean · prune · perch · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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. lean — to rest against
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. staff — employees
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. lean — to bend
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. staff — employees
  12. lean — thin
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — in biology
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stock — goods
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. perch — the fish
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cell — a phone
  22. stock — shares
  23. staff — a stick
  24. prune — the fruit

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