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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: lie · deal · band · key · toast · cue · spring · safe

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. spring — the season
  5. band — a ring
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. key — in music
  14. spring — of water
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. spring — a coil
  17. key — the most important part
  18. lie — to recline
  19. band — a music group
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. key — for a lock
  23. cue — a signal
  24. safe — out of danger

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