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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: straw · ball · date · clip · board · safe · deal · toast

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. clip — a video
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — the fruit
  5. clip — to cut
  6. board — a committee
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. board — to get on
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. deal — to handle
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. ball — a great time
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. clip — for paper
  22. ball — a dance
  23. toast — bread
  24. ball — a round shape

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