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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: perch · safe · ruler · straw · bore · chest · snap · spring

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bore — to drill
  6. chest — a box
  7. chest — of your body
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. spring — a coil
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. spring — the season
  17. snap — to click
  18. bore — to tire
  19. spring — of water
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. chest — of your body

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