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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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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: pass · pound · perch · safe · key · fan · tear · craft

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pass — a permit
  5. craft — boats
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — in music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. key — the most important part
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. perch — the fish
  20. craft — a skill
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. tear — from crying
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. tear — to rip

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