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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.

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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  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. bank — of a river
  2. clip — a video
  3. bank — for money
  4. clip — for paper
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cap — a hat
  10. clip — to cut
  11. bank — for money
  12. prune — to trim
  13. track — a song
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. track — a path
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bulb — for light
  23. track — to keep track
  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