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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 · degree · cabinet · ball · rest · calf · safe · firm

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  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. perch — for a bird
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. degree — from a university
  4. ball — a great time
  5. degree — temperature
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rest — what's left
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. firm — steady
  12. firm — decided
  13. rest — a break
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. perch — the fish
  16. degree — an amount
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. rest — what's left
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. firm — a company
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. perch — for a bird
  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