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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 · staff · prune · bear · ball · cue · pop · mate

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. mate — a friend
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. cue — for pool
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pop — soda
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pop — to visit
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. bear — the animal
  18. mate — to breed
  19. pop — music
  20. staff — employees
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. prune — to trim

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