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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 116 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: rush · suit · safe · key · fall · wind · kick · cue

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wind — moving air
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. suit — clothes
  7. cue — for pool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. rush — hurry
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. key — for a lock
  13. cue — a hint
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. key — in music
  18. wind — moving air
  19. suit — in cards
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. fall — the season
  22. key — the most important part
  23. kick — in football
  24. cue — a signal

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