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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: squash · safe · mouse · fall · lie · sharp · march · perch

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. perch — the fish
  3. march — music
  4. fall — the season
  5. sharp — clever
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fall — to drop
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. march — the month
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. march — the month
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. fall — to drop

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