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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: mine · safe · fine · capital · hide · perch · stick · suit

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mine — for digging
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. suit — to fit
  8. capital — a city
  9. perch — the fish
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fine — high quality
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. capital — money
  16. suit — in cards
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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