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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
468
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: squash · safe · stem · field · cue · leaves · net · fine

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. fine — high quality
  3. fine — all right
  4. squash — the sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. squash — to crush
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. field — a subject
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cue — a hint
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — for sport
  16. net — in sport
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. cue — for pool
  19. net — after costs
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. safe — out of danger

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