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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: net · roll · pass · safe · tube · can · mark · clip

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. can — a tin
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. mark — a grade
  5. can — a tin
  6. roll — a cake
  7. tube — the underground
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. clip — for paper
  10. mark — a trace
  11. clip — a video
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pass — a permit
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. tube — a container
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. net — in sport
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. clip — to cut
  22. net — for catching
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. net — after costs

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