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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · mouse · firm · band · perch · board · safe · pitcher

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. firm — steady
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. perch — the fish
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. band — a ring
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. board — a committee
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. board — to get on
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. firm — decided
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. band — a music group
  23. firm — a company
  24. perch — for a bird

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