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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: clip · racket · stick · object · arm · fine · safe · degree

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. clip — to cut
  3. object — an aim
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. degree — from a university
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. degree — an amount
  13. degree — temperature
  14. fine — all right
  15. clip — a video
  16. object — a thing
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. clip — for paper
  21. fine — high quality
  22. object — to protest
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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