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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 · safe · court · root · bear · last · rock · cell

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cue — for pool
  3. last — to go on
  4. root — of a word
  5. last — final
  6. rock — a stone
  7. root — of a plant
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. court — for sport
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. cue — a signal
  13. last — finally
  14. court — of law
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. root — the cause
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. court — of a king
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cue — a hint
  24. cell — in biology

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