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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.

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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 · pass · arm · fan · perch · prune · craft · racket

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. prune — to trim
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. prune — to trim
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. craft — boats
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. perch — the fish

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