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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: safe · ball · lash · last · clip · suit · object · foot

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. foot — part of the body
  2. object — a thing
  3. clip — a video
  4. last — final
  5. ball — a dance
  6. object — to protest
  7. last — to go on
  8. suit — to fit
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. clip — to cut
  12. foot — a measure
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. last — finally
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. clip — for paper
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. object — an aim
  22. suit — in cards
  23. ball — a great time
  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