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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · rock · clip · safe · rest · board · saw · scale

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. clip — a video
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bear — the animal
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. clip — for paper
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. scale — size or range
  13. clip — to cut
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. bear — the animal
  16. board — a committee
  17. rest — what's left
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. rock — music
  22. scale — in music
  23. board — to get on
  24. rock — a stone

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