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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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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: dip · staff · nail · pop · wake · perch · spell · safe

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  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. wake — before a funeral
  2. staff — employees
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pop — soda
  5. spell — letters
  6. pop — to visit
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. staff — a stick
  15. wake — a trail
  16. spell — magic
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pop — music
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. spell — a short time
  23. perch — the fish
  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