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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: mug · perch · safe · tube · cabinet · bass · bark · firm

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mug — a face
  3. firm — steady
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. firm — decided
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. perch — the fish
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bass — low music
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. tube — the underground
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. firm — a company
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. tube — a container
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bark — to shout
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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