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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
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: squash · net · clip · safe · wave · pitcher · hide · bore

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. bore — to drill
  3. net — for catching
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. clip — a video
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. squash — to crush
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. clip — for paper
  15. net — after costs
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bore — to tire
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. squash — the sport
  20. clip — to cut
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. safe — out of danger

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