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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: safe · staff · cue · dip · suit · saw · clip · degree

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. suit — in cards
  3. cue — a hint
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. clip — to cut
  7. suit — clothes
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. dip — to sink
  10. cue — a signal
  11. saw — the tool
  12. staff — employees
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. clip — a video
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. staff — employees
  17. clip — for paper
  18. degree — temperature
  19. saw — the tool
  20. suit — to fit
  21. degree — from a university
  22. degree — an amount
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. staff — a stick

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