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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.

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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: bay · ruler · rock · clip · cell · safe · object · mate

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mate — a partner
  3. object — an aim
  4. cell — a phone
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. clip — to cut
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. object — a thing
  12. cell — in biology
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. clip — for paper
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rock — music
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. clip — a video
  21. object — to protest
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. mate — to breed
  24. ruler — a monarch

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