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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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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: cue · safe · leaves · spell · clip · stick · kick · deal

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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. spell — letters
  2. spell — magic
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. kick — in football
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. clip — to cut
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. deal — to handle
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. clip — for paper
  16. spell — a short time
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cue — a hint
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. kick — with a leg
  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