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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.

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: perch · swing · stock · plane · nail · foot · band · safe

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stock — shares
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. foot — a measure
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. swing — music
  10. plane — a tool
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. swing — in golf
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. band — a music group
  22. band — a ring
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. nail — for a hammer

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