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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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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: tear · fine · roll · firm · pit · perch · safe · fall

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. pit — in a race
  3. firm — steady
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fine — all right
  6. roll — a cake
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. tear — to rip
  9. tear — from crying
  10. fine — high quality
  11. firm — decided
  12. fall — to drop
  13. perch — the fish
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. tear — from crying
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. firm — a company
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pit — a hole
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. fall — the season

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