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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: cue · pass · cell · mug · safe · land · bear · wind

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. land — ground
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. land — to come down
  5. mug — a face
  6. land — a country
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cell — in biology
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bear — the animal
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pass — a permit
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cell — a phone
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. mug — a cup
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. mug — to rob

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