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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: saw · bay · tube · chair · mark · safe · rush · clip

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. mark — a grade
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. clip — a video
  10. saw — the tool
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. mark — a trace
  13. rush — hurry
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. clip — for paper
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — a container
  21. chair — a leader
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. clip — to cut

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