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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: lean · safe · perch · bank · roll · content · stock · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. roll — a cake
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. content — happy
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. perch — the fish
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bank — for money
  13. content — the amount
  14. lean — to bend
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. stock — goods
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. roll — a list
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. lean — thin
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. stock — shares

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