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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: bear · ball · stick · clip · straw · safe · plane · dip

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bear — the animal
  8. dip — to sink
  9. clip — a video
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. clip — for paper
  14. plane — a tool
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. clip — to cut
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. straw — a straw man

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