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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: calf · key · fine · perch · deal · chest · bear · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bear — the animal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. deal — to handle
  8. perch — the fish
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — in music
  13. fine — all right
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. key — the most important part
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chest — a box
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. chest — of your body
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bear — the animal

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