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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · pass · leaves · lie · cap · clip · safe · racket

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pass — a permit
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lie — to recline
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. clip — for paper
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. clip — a video
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. cap — a lid
  20. clip — to cut
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cap — a hat
  24. lie — an untruth

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