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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: perch · spring · bay · safe · rest · firm · pitch · rock

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. spring — the season
  3. rest — what's left
  4. firm — a company
  5. rock — music
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. spring — a coil
  9. rest — a break
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. spring — of water
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rest — what's left
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. perch — the fish
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. safe — a strongbox

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