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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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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: toast · safe · fan · cue · branch · wake

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wake — a trail
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. branch — a division
  14. toast — bread
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. cue — for pool
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. wake — to stop sleeping

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