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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: toast · cue · ball · prune · kick · key · safe · trunk

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. cue — a signal
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. prune — to trim
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. cue — a hint
  9. kick — in football
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. key — the most important part
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. toast — bread
  17. ball — a great time
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. prune — to trim
  23. ball — a dance
  24. cue — for pool

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