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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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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 · tear · scale · march · ruler · sharp · leaves · safe

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. scale — size or range
  4. tear — to rip
  5. scale — in music
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. tear — from crying
  9. sharp — clever
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. march — the month
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. march — the month
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. march — music

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