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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.

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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: bulb · chair · cue · coach · clip · scale · suit · safe

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. clip — for paper
  6. bulb — for light
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cue — a hint
  12. chair — a leader
  13. suit — in cards
  14. clip — to cut
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — size or range
  17. suit — clothes
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. cue — for pool
  23. suit — to fit
  24. clip — a video

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