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

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. date — the fruit
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. stand — to bear
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pound — a weight
  8. fall — to drop
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. clip — a video
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. fall — the season
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. clip — to cut

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