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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: safe · chest · bulb · root · saw · perch · kid · firm

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. root — the cause
  3. saw — the tool
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. perch — the fish
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. root — of a plant
  13. firm — steady
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. bulb — for light
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bulb — for light
  18. firm — a company
  19. chest — of your body
  20. root — of a word
  21. chest — a box
  22. firm — decided
  23. kid — child
  24. kid — to tease

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