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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.

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: bass · wave · squash · safe · calf · field · hide · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. field — a subject
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. field — farmland
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bass — the fish
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the sport
  16. cue — a hint
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bass — low music
  20. field — for sport
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cue — for pool
  24. hide — animal skin

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