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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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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: perch · mine · net · board · can · firm · safe · nail

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. can — a tin
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. firm — a company
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. firm — decided
  11. net — after costs
  12. can — a tin
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. perch — the fish
  15. net — for catching
  16. can — to be able to
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — to get on
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. firm — steady
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. net — in sport

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