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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: net · rock · safe · clip · root · perch · suit · bulb

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — for light
  4. perch — the fish
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. clip — for paper
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. net — for catching
  11. suit — in cards
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — after costs
  14. root — the cause
  15. clip — a video
  16. root — of a plant
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. root — of a word
  19. rock — music
  20. suit — to fit
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. clip — to cut
  23. suit — clothes
  24. perch — for a bird

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