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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rest · roll · prune · safe · clip · present · game · can

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. can — a tin
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. can — to be able to
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. game — a match
  7. rest — a break
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. clip — a video
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. roll — a list
  12. rest — what's left
  13. roll — a cake
  14. clip — for paper
  15. clip — to cut
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. present — there
  18. present — a gift
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rest — what's left
  21. can — a tin
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. prune — to trim
  24. game — wild animals

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