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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: perch · cell · bay · roll · scale · track · safe · wake

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. scale — size or range
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. roll — a list
  10. scale — in music
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. track — a path
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. cell — in biology
  20. roll — a cake
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cell — a phone
  23. track — a song
  24. roll — on a roll

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