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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.

Make a worksheet

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: ball · suit · wake · key · present · safe · land · perch

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. key — in music
  5. present — the time now
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ball — a great time
  9. key — for a lock
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. suit — clothes
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. present — a gift
  15. present — there
  16. suit — in cards
  17. perch — the fish
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wake — a trail
  20. land — ground
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. land — a country
  23. land — to come down
  24. ball — a dance

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