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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 120 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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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 · pass · cap · stick · safe · cell · rock · season

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cap — of ice
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rock — a stone
  9. clip — for paper
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. season — in sport
  13. pass — a permit
  14. season — of the year
  15. clip — to cut
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. cell — a phone
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. clip — a video
  21. cap — a lid
  22. rock — music
  23. cell — in biology
  24. cap — a hat

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