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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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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 · temple · cue · wound · stem · mate · pitch · key

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. cue — a signal
  3. mate — a partner
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. key — the most important part
  6. stem — to come from
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. mate — a friend
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wound — an injury
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — in music
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mate — to breed
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. temple — a place of worship

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