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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.

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: row · nail · stand · perch · content · safe · spring · pitcher

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. row — a line
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. content — happy
  5. spring — the season
  6. stand — to bear
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. content — the amount
  11. perch — the fish
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. spring — of water
  23. row — to paddle
  24. nail — on a finger

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