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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.

Make a worksheet

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: safe · perch · ground · spring · squash · pass · chest · pitcher

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — a permit
  5. chest — of your body
  6. spring — of water
  7. perch — the fish
  8. chest — a box
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ground — the earth
  11. squash — to crush
  12. chest — of your body
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. spring — the season
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. ground — a position
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. ground — crushed
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. spring — a coil

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