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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: track · chip · plane · straw · lie · stick · safe · perch

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. plane — a tool
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. track — a song
  7. lie — to recline
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. chip — to eat
  12. perch — the fish
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. track — a path
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. track — to keep track
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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