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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.

Make a worksheet

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: present · staff · scale · pitcher · safe · cell · bear · wind

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. staff — a stick
  3. bear — the animal
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bear — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. present — the time now
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. scale — size or range
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. present — there
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cell — in biology
  18. staff — employees
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. present — a gift
  23. staff — employees
  24. safe — a strongbox

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