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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cue — a hint
  3. board — a committee
  4. cue — for pool
  5. spring — the season
  6. rest — a break
  7. cue — a signal
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. spring — of water
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — what's left
  19. board — to get on
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. hand — in cards
  22. sharp — clever
  23. spring — a coil
  24. hand — help

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