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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pop · perch · net · racket · safe · rash · staff · prune

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rash — hasty
  8. prune — to trim
  9. net — in sport
  10. pop — soda
  11. perch — the fish
  12. staff — a stick
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — for catching
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rash — a series
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pop — music
  24. racket — for tennis

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