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

Word bank: calf · cue · fork · pound · key · leaves

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. key — in music
  3. cue — a hint
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fork — in a road
  6. key — the most important part
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. cue — for pool
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. cue — a signal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. key — for a lock
  17. pound — a weight
  18. fork — a garden tool

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