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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: suit · arm · stick · perch · pound · mate · safe · cabinet

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mate — a partner
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. mate — to breed
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mate — a friend
  11. suit — clothes
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. pound — a weight
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. suit — in cards

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