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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 · prune · rush · kick · cue · coach · deal · cell

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. deal — to handle
  4. prune — to trim
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. prune — to trim
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cell — a phone
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cue — for pool
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. cell — in biology
  20. kick — in football
  21. rush — hurry
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. cue — a hint
  24. safe — a strongbox

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