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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: firm · perch · pound · jam · safe · leaves · content · board

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. firm — decided
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pound — a weight
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. firm — steady
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. board — to get on
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. board — a committee
  18. content — happy
  19. firm — a company
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. content — the amount

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