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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: safe · spring · stand · cabinet · fork · perch · board · mine

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. fork — in a road
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. spring — a coil
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stand — to bear
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. board — to get on
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. spring — of water
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. board — a committee
  24. perch — the fish

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