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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: file · perch · sharp · rock · bowl · net · straw · safe

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. rock — a stone
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. sharp — clever
  5. file — a tool
  6. net — for catching
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. rock — music
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — after costs
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. file — a document
  24. file — a line of people

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