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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: club · mark · craft · cue · clip · date · safe · lie

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. date — the fruit
  3. club — for dancing
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. cue — for pool
  6. craft — boats
  7. club — a group
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mark — a trace
  11. clip — to cut
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. clip — for paper
  14. clip — a video
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. club — for golf
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cue — a hint
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. lie — to recline
  23. date — on the calendar
  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