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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
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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: safe · can · cue · present · rash · clip · board · leaves

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. can — a tin
  4. present — a gift
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. board — to get on
  7. clip — to cut
  8. clip — for paper
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. clip — a video
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. cue — a hint
  15. can — to be able to
  16. rash — a series
  17. cue — for pool
  18. present — the time now
  19. board — a committee
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. can — a tin
  22. present — there
  23. cue — a signal
  24. leaves — of a tree

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