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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: staff · file · fan · kick · pit · cue · game · safe

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. file — a line of people
  5. staff — employees
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cue — for pool
  11. file — a tool
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — wild animals
  15. game — a match
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. pit — in a race
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. file — a document
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — a stick
  23. cue — a hint
  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