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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: staff · ground · perch · hide · safe · track · toast · straw

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. ground — the earth
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. staff — employees
  9. track — a path
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. toast — bread
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. staff — employees
  17. ground — crushed
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. ground — a position
  22. staff — a stick
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. perch — the fish

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