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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 · sharp · cue · staff · fall · patient · branch · squash

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. squash — the sport
  3. cue — a signal
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. staff — a stick
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fall — the season
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — for pool
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. sharp — clever
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. branch — a division
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. fall — to drop
  21. fall — to drop
  22. staff — employees
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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