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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: wound · track · cue · safe · kick · suit · wax · bear

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. bear — the animal
  3. suit — in cards
  4. track — to keep track
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cue — a hint
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bear — the animal
  11. track — a path
  12. wax — to grow
  13. suit — to fit
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. kick — in football
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. track — a song
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. wound — an injury

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