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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.

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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: bound · suit · hide · safe · mark · wound · clip · craft

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. suit — to fit
  4. clip — to cut
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. bound — certain
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wound — an injury
  13. craft — a skill
  14. clip — a video
  15. bound — tied together
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mark — a grade
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. clip — for paper
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. craft — boats
  23. bound — obliged
  24. suit — clothes

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