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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: pop · ball · hand · safe · toast · stick · rash · clip

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. ball — a dance
  3. hand — in cards
  4. hand — help
  5. rash — a series
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pop — soda
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. pop — to visit
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — to cut
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. toast — bread
  19. ball — a great time
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. rash — hasty
  23. clip — a video
  24. pop — music

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