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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: safe · racket · pit · cue · stem · clip · rush · suit

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. pit — in a race
  3. clip — a video
  4. clip — for paper
  5. cue — a hint
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. suit — clothes
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rush — hurry
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stem — to come from
  24. pit — a hole

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