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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: clip · leaves · bass · can · vault · date · bound · safe

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bound — obliged
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bass — the fish
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. clip — for paper
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. clip — a video
  12. can — to be able to
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. can — a tin
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bound — certain
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. clip — to cut
  22. bound — tied together
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. can — a tin

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