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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 116 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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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: band · spell · coach · safe · snap · root · lash · cue

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. band — a music group
  3. root — the cause
  4. cue — a signal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. spell — magic
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cue — a hint
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. snap — to click
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. band — a ring
  19. root — of a plant
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. spell — a short time
  22. root — of a word
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. spell — letters

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