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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: cell · shower · fine · mate · cue · safe · field · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. cell — in biology
  4. cell — a phone
  5. cue — for pool
  6. fine — high quality
  7. cue — a signal
  8. field — a subject
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. cue — a hint
  12. field — farmland
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mate — a friend
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. shower — rain
  23. fine — all right
  24. field — for sport

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