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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.

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: rule · bear · ball · roll · craft · perch · safe · last

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. craft — boats
  5. rule — a law
  6. roll — a list
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. perch — the fish
  9. last — finally
  10. ball — a dance
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. ball — a great time
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. last — final
  17. bear — the animal
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. roll — a cake
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. last — to go on
  23. perch — for a bird
  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