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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: dip · squash · stand · current · safe · clip · object · date

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. clip — a video
  5. object — an aim
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. current — of water
  10. current — electric
  11. clip — to cut
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. squash — the sport
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. squash — to crush
  16. clip — for paper
  17. date — the fruit
  18. dip — to sink
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. stand — to bear
  21. object — a thing
  22. current — happening now
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. date — on the calendar

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