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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: saw · hide · fan · arm · safe · pop · cue · kid

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. pop — music
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. cue — for pool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pop — soda
  13. kid — child
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. kid — to tease
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pop — to visit
  24. fan — to cool the air

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