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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: nail · cue · jam · capital · wake · cell · bay · safe

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wake — a trail
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. capital — a city
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cue — for pool
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cue — a signal
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cue — a hint
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. cell — a phone
  24. capital — money

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