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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: safe · object · rash · kid · cabinet · perch · mouse · nail

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — to tease
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. kid — child
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. object — to protest
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. object — an aim
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rash — hasty
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. perch — the fish
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. object — a thing
  23. rash — a series
  24. cabinet — ministers

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