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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 · chair · fan · safe · patient · prune · bank · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. chair — a leader
  7. prune — to trim
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. cue — a hint
  10. prune — to trim
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cue — for pool
  15. mark — a trace
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bank — of a river
  23. cue — a signal
  24. chair — a professorship

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