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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: fork · perch · safe · spell · stick · ruler · rest · sharp

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. spell — a short time
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. perch — the fish
  10. fork — in a road
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. rest — a break
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. rest — what's left
  15. sharp — clever
  16. spell — letters
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. rest — what's left
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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