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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: straw · stand · rush · safe · bowl · capital · cue · ball

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. cue — a signal
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. capital — money
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stand — to bear
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. cue — a hint
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. cue — for pool
  24. ball — a round shape

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