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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: mouse · cue · rush · spell · ball · plane · safe · bulb

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. spell — magic
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. spell — letters
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rush — hurry
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cue — a hint
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bulb — for light
  17. plane — a tool
  18. bulb — for light
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. cue — for pool
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. spell — a short time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. plane — an aircraft

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