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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 120 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: ball · band · tube · press · safe · can · clip · bowl

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. clip — a video
  3. ball — a great time
  4. band — a ring
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. press — newspapers
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. can — a tin
  9. tube — the underground
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ball — a dance
  14. clip — for paper
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. can — a tin
  19. press — to push
  20. can — to be able to
  21. press — a publisher
  22. band — a music group
  23. clip — to cut
  24. safe — a strongbox

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