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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 · row · bound · squash · cue · scale · season · fall

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. season — in sport
  4. bound — obliged
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. cue — a hint
  7. fall — to drop
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bound — certain
  11. squash — to crush
  12. fall — the season
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. squash — the sport
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. bound — tied together
  18. row — a line
  19. cue — for pool
  20. season — of the year
  21. fall — to drop
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. row — to paddle
  24. safe — out of danger

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