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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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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: net · roll · pass · bowl · ruler · safe · clip · mark

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — a video
  2. net — after costs
  3. roll — a cake
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. net — for catching
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. mark — a trace
  19. clip — for paper
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. net — in sport
  22. roll — a list
  23. clip — to cut
  24. bowl — a dish

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