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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 120 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: pop · cue · mine · bass · craft · rule · mark · safe

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. pop — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. craft — a skill
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pop — to visit
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. craft — boats
  12. pop — soda
  13. cue — a hint
  14. rule — a law
  15. mark — a grade
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rule — government
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. bass — the fish
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mine — for digging
  24. bass — low music

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