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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: straw · chip · roll · bulb · perch · nail · safe · wake

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. wake — a trail
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. roll — a list
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. chip — to eat
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. chip — for betting
  23. perch — the fish
  24. roll — a cake

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