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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: cue · firm · wound · staff · game · safe · court · lie

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. staff — employees
  7. cue — for pool
  8. game — wild animals
  9. firm — a company
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — for sport
  13. cue — a signal
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. staff — employees
  17. staff — a stick
  18. firm — steady
  19. court — of law
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cue — a hint
  24. game — a match

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