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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.

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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: ruler · content · safe · object · drill · perch · rock · wound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. content — the amount
  12. rock — a stone
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. drill — a practice
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. drill — army training
  17. wound — an injury
  18. object — to protest
  19. rock — music
  20. drill — the tool
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. content — happy

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