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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: nail · firm · tear · row · safe · bowl · bulb · perch

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. tear — from crying
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. tear — from crying
  10. row — a line
  11. tear — to rip
  12. bulb — for light
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. firm — a company
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. perch — the fish
  20. bulb — for light
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. row — to paddle
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bowl — a football final

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