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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: perch · straw · suit · present · wax · squash · safe · prune

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. prune — to trim
  4. present — a gift
  5. suit — in cards
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. squash — the sport
  9. suit — to fit
  10. squash — to crush
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. present — the time now
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. present — there
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. suit — clothes
  19. wax — to grow
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. perch — the fish
  22. prune — to trim
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. prune — the fruit

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