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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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stock · straw · key · rule · cue · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. cue — a hint
  6. key — for a lock
  7. cue — for pool
  8. rule — a law
  9. cue — a signal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stock — shares
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. rule — government
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. stock — goods
  16. key — in music
  17. key — the most important part
  18. rule — to rule out

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