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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 · safe · plane · present · prune · vault · bass · swing

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. present — a gift
  8. bass — low music
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bass — the fish
  12. swing — to play on
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. plane — a tool
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. cue — for pool
  18. prune — to trim
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. swing — music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. safe — a strongbox

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