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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: saw · safe · snap · nail · stock · ruler · perch · stick

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. snap — to click
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. saw — the tool
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — shares
  21. saw — the tool
  22. perch — the fish
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. ruler — for measuring

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