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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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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: lie · squash · clip · roll · race · wave · safe · bay

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. clip — a video
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. clip — to cut
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. clip — for paper
  11. squash — the sport
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. squash — to crush
  15. race — the arms race
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — a cake
  18. race — humankind
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. race — a contest
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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