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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: key · straw · field · clip · can · safe · racket · bank

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. can — a tin
  4. key — in music
  5. clip — to cut
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. field — for sport
  8. bank — for money
  9. can — a tin
  10. key — the most important part
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. key — for a lock
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. clip — for paper
  17. field — a subject
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bank — for money
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bank — of a river
  24. field — farmland

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