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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: pit · leaves · mate · swing · safe · band · straw · cue

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pit — a hole
  5. swing — to play on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. cue — a hint
  8. mate — to breed
  9. band — a music group
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. band — a ring
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cue — a signal
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. mate — a friend
  19. cue — for pool
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. pit — in a race
  22. swing — in golf
  23. swing — music
  24. mate — a partner

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