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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 · object · ground · saw · mouse · clip · fine · roll

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  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. clip — for paper
  3. ground — crushed
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — a position
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. roll — a list
  11. object — to protest
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. clip — a video
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. object — an aim
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. object — a thing
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. saw — the tool
  23. roll — a cake
  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