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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: rock · pit · clip · lean · row · safe · bay · game

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. clip — to cut
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — to bend
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. rock — a stone
  14. pit — a hole
  15. game — wild animals
  16. lean — thin
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pit — in a race
  19. clip — for paper
  20. row — a line
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. clip — a video
  23. game — a match
  24. rock — music

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