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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: safe · can · sharp · fork · toast · bulb · bat · perch

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. toast — bread
  4. can — a tin
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. sharp — clever
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. bulb — for light
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. can — to be able to
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bat — the animal
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. can — a tin
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bat — for baseball

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