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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: cue · chair · temple · key · stem · board · safe · cell

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  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. key — for a lock
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. key — the most important part
  5. cue — for pool
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. key — in music
  9. board — to get on
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. board — a committee
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. chair — a leader
  16. stem — to come from
  17. cell — in biology
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cell — a phone
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cell — in a prison
  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