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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
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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: can · perch · spring · squash · safe · coach · band · rush

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. squash — the sport
  3. spring — the season
  4. band — a music group
  5. can — a tin
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. can — to be able to
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. can — a tin
  15. spring — a coil
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rush — hurry
  22. squash — to crush
  23. spring — of water
  24. band — a ring

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