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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: pitcher · staff · chip · perch · safe · saw · wave · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. chip — to eat
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. staff — employees
  10. spring — a coil
  11. chip — for betting
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. perch — the fish
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. spring — of water
  16. saw — the tool
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. saw — the tool
  20. staff — a stick
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. staff — employees
  24. safe — out of danger

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