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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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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: toast · lean · perch · racket · safe · kid · lash · bear

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. kid — child
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bear — the animal
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. toast — bread
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — thin
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. lean — to bend
  22. bear — the animal
  23. kid — to tease
  24. toast — the most admired

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