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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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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: deal · bear · row · straw · net · safe · object · perch

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. deal — to handle
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. net — after costs
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. net — for catching
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. net — in sport
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. object — a thing
  15. row — to paddle
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — to protest
  18. row — a line
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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