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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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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 · foot · band · mate · hand · cue · toast · roll

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. roll — a list
  8. hand — help
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. mate — a friend
  11. cue — a signal
  12. foot — a measure
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. mate — to breed
  15. toast — bread
  16. roll — a cake
  17. band — a music group
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. band — a ring
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. hand — in cards
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mate — a partner

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