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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 · bay · roll · mate · staff · safe · racket · ball

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. ball — a great time
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mate — a friend
  7. ball — a dance
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. staff — employees
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. roll — a list
  17. mate — a partner
  18. perch — the fish
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mate — to breed
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. roll — a cake

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