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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: safe · ball · deal · perch · club · date · mug · pound

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mug — a face
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. perch — the fish
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. ball — a great time
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. date — the fruit
  13. ball — a dance
  14. mug — a cup
  15. club — for golf
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. club — a group
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. mug — to rob
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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