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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 120 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: nail · craft · stick · hide · cue · bulb · safe · lie

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. cue — for pool
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lie — to recline
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. craft — a skill
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — for light
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. craft — boats
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. cue — a hint

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