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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 120 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: perch · staff · craft · squash · pitch · rock · pop · safe

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. staff — a stick
  3. staff — employees
  4. pop — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. craft — boats
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. squash — to crush
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pitch — completely
  16. rock — music
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. staff — employees
  21. pop — to visit
  22. rock — a stone
  23. perch — the fish
  24. pop — soda

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