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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 116 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: rash · squash · rock · safe · perch · ground · leaves · fine

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. perch — the fish
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rash — hasty
  6. squash — to crush
  7. ground — the earth
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rock — music
  13. squash — the sport
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. ground — crushed
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. rock — a stone
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. fine — all right
  21. ground — a position
  22. rash — a series
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. safe — out of danger

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