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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: saw · perch · pound · staff · bat · safe · cap · wave

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — the animal
  5. cap — a hat
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pound — a weight
  10. saw — the tool
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. staff — employees
  19. cap — a lid
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. cap — of ice
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. saw — the tool
  24. perch — the fish

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