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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: snap · pop · rock · bank · craft · clip · rule · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. snap — to click
  3. bank — for money
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rule — government
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rule — a law
  8. bank — of a river
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. clip — for paper
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — soda
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — boats
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bank — for money
  18. rock — music
  19. pop — to visit
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. clip — a video
  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