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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cue — a signal
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. foot — a measure
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cue — a hint
  11. band — a music group
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mate — a friend
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. vault — a safe
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. band — a ring
  22. mate — to breed
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. safe — a strongbox

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