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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 · bound · nail · pitch · safe · degree · rule · rock

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. bound — obliged
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pitch — completely
  8. rule — government
  9. rock — music
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rule — a law
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bound — tied together
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. rock — a stone
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — an amount
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bound — certain
  24. degree — from a university

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