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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. saw — the tool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. toast — bread
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cue — for pool
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. spell — magic
  11. kid — child
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cue — a signal
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. spell — letters
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. kid — to tease
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. spell — a short time
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. saw — the tool
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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