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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: lash · safe · firm · perch · hand · staff · wake · pound

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. firm — a company
  3. pound — a weight
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. firm — decided
  9. firm — steady
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. hand — help
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. perch — the fish
  19. staff — employees
  20. wake — a trail
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. hand — in cards
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. staff — employees

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