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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 120 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: club · bay · safe · clip · net · stand · scale · season

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. scale — in music
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. clip — for paper
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. clip — to cut
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. clip — a video
  12. scale — size or range
  13. net — for catching
  14. stand — to bear
  15. net — after costs
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. club — for golf
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. season — in sport
  20. net — in sport
  21. season — of the year
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. club — for dancing

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