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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 · clip · wave · bowl · lash · spring · march · ruler

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  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 — a video
  2. spring — of water
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. march — music
  7. clip — for paper
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. spring — the season
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spring — a coil
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. bowl — to roll
  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