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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 · row · cue · rule · toast · pound · roll · lash

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. cue — a signal
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. cue — a hint
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. toast — bread
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pound — a weight
  11. rule — a law
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. row — to paddle
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. row — a line
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. roll — a cake
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. cue — for pool
  22. roll — a list
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. pound — for dogs

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