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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: file · dip · firm · clip · safe · content · roll · rock

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. file — a line of people
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. clip — for paper
  6. rock — music
  7. content — happy
  8. rock — a stone
  9. file — a document
  10. roll — a list
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. file — a tool
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. clip — a video
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. roll — a cake
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. clip — to cut
  21. content — the amount
  22. firm — a company
  23. dip — to sink
  24. roll — on a roll

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