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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: fork · safe · game · rash · perch · pitcher · lean · ball

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rash — a series
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. rash — hasty
  14. game — a match
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. perch — the fish
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lean — to bend
  19. game — wild animals
  20. lean — thin
  21. fork — in a road
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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