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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: ball · branch · clip · cap · rule · stick · safe · pitcher

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. branch — a division
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — a video
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. rule — government
  12. clip — for paper
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. ball — a great time
  17. cap — a lid
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rule — a law
  21. cap — of ice
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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