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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: date · tear · bear · dip · cue · safe · staff · leaves

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  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. leaves — to go away
  2. tear — from crying
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. staff — employees
  6. date — the fruit
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bear — the animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cue — a signal
  13. staff — employees
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bear — the animal
  21. tear — from crying
  22. staff — a stick
  23. tear — to rip
  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