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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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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: ruler · perch · shower · safe · wake · firm · chest · pit

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. perch — the fish
  3. shower — rain
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chest — of your body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pit — a hole
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pit — in a race
  14. wake — a trail
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. chest — a box
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. firm — steady
  21. shower — to wash
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — decided

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