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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: date · straw · current · safe · cue · fine · clip · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. cue — a signal
  3. fine — all right
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. clip — a video
  6. chest — of your body
  7. clip — to cut
  8. date — the fruit
  9. clip — for paper
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. current — happening now
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. current — electric
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. chest — of your body
  18. cue — for pool
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. cue — a hint
  21. fine — high quality
  22. current — of water
  23. date — on the calendar
  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