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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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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: current · bat · lean · safe · staff · cap · perch · rest

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. cap — of ice
  10. current — electric
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rest — a break
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. cap — a hat
  15. current — of water
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lean — thin
  18. rest — what's left
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. bat — the animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. current — happening now

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