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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 120 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: club · board · safe · cue · prune · can

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. prune — to trim
  3. cue — a signal
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. cue — for pool
  9. board — a committee
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. club — for golf
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. board — to get on
  16. cue — a hint
  17. club — for dancing
  18. can — a tin

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