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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. bank — of a river
  3. bass — low music
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bank — for money
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. row — a line
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bank — for money
  21. vault — a safe
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. row — to paddle

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