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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: perch · stand · pound · hide · ball · kid · safe · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. kid — child
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. ball — a great time
  11. prune — to trim
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stand — to bear
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. kid — to tease
  21. pound — a weight
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. perch — for a bird

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