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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: stock · board · safe · perch · march · wax · row · cap

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  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. row — to paddle
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. march — the month
  7. march — music
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. wax — to grow
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. board — a committee
  13. stock — goods
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. cap — of ice
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. march — the month
  18. row — a line
  19. cap — a lid
  20. stock — shares
  21. cap — a hat
  22. board — to get on
  23. perch — for a bird
  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