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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 · rash · roll · pit · racket · wave · game · safe

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. game — a match
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rash — a series
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. rash — hasty
  11. pit — a hole
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. pit — in a race
  17. roll — a cake
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. game — wild animals
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. safe — a strongbox

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