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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: arm · safe · perch · bound · net · can · saw · rash

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rash — a series
  3. can — a tin
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bound — certain
  6. net — after costs
  7. can — a tin
  8. bound — tied together
  9. perch — the fish
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. saw — the tool
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. net — in sport
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. saw — the tool
  16. can — to be able to
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bound — obliged
  19. net — for catching
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. rash — hasty
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. safe — a strongbox

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