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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: perch · saw · safe · lean · file · firm · staff · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. file — a document
  4. lean — thin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. file — a tool
  8. firm — a company
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lean — to bend
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. staff — a stick
  13. spring — a coil
  14. firm — steady
  15. staff — employees
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. spring — of water
  18. perch — the fish
  19. firm — decided
  20. file — a line of people
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. staff — employees
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. saw — the tool

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