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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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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 · bass · kick · pitch · mug · calf · safe · cell

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cue — a signal
  6. bass — low music
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mug — a face
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. cell — in biology
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. mug — a cup
  21. cue — for pool
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bass — the fish
  24. kick — in football

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