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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: can · row · clip · field · leaves · safe · wax · bound

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. wax — to grow
  3. clip — for paper
  4. clip — to cut
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. field — a subject
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. row — to paddle
  11. field — for sport
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. bound — obliged
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. field — farmland
  20. can — to be able to
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. row — a line

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