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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
468
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: safe · bat · can · rule · lash · leaves · pop · cue

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. cue — a signal
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. can — a tin
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. can — to be able to
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rule — a law
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. cue — a hint
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. rule — government
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pop — soda
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bat — the animal
  23. can — a tin
  24. cue — for pool

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