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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 120 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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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: sharp · safe · straw · perch · ruler · bay · bat · bowl

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. sharp — clever
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bat — the animal
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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