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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 · bass · ruler · safe · arm · march · bound · kid

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. perch — the fish
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. kid — child
  10. march — the month
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bass — the fish
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. bound — obliged
  17. march — the month
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bass — low music
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bound — certain
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bound — tied together
  24. march — music

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