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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.

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 · mouse · track · temple · wake · pit · ball · clip

  1. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  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. clip — a video
  2. clip — to cut
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ball — a great time
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pit — in a race
  12. clip — for paper
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wake — a trail
  18. track — to keep track
  19. pit — a hole
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. track — a song
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. track — a path
  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