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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: safe · craft · cold · game · perch · saw · ruler · vault

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. craft — a skill
  4. saw — the tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. saw — the tool
  13. game — wild animals
  14. vault — a safe
  15. game — a match
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. cold — an illness
  20. cold — not warm
  21. craft — boats
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. game — a kind of play

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