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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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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: suit · race · stand · clip · swing · net · dip · safe

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. race — humankind
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. net — for catching
  7. swing — music
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. race — the arms race
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. net — after costs
  12. clip — to cut
  13. clip — a video
  14. race — a contest
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. suit — to fit
  18. swing — to play on
  19. dip — to sink
  20. clip — for paper
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. suit — clothes
  23. swing — in golf
  24. net — in sport

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