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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: ball · dip · firm · staff · mate · clip · can · pitcher

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. ball — a great time
  3. firm — decided
  4. dip — to sink
  5. firm — steady
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. mate — a partner
  8. clip — to cut
  9. ball — a dance
  10. clip — for paper
  11. clip — a video
  12. can — a tin
  13. mate — a friend
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. staff — a stick
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. staff — employees
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. staff — employees
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. firm — a company
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pitcher — a jug

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