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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: saw · clip · mouse · dip · ball · bowl · bay · bark

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. clip — for paper
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. ball — a dance
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. clip — a video
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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