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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: safe · arm · clip · saw · bass · file · cue · bay

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. file — a document
  3. cue — a signal
  4. file — a tool
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bass — the fish
  12. clip — a video
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bass — low music
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. saw — the tool
  23. clip — for paper
  24. cue — for pool

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