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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: cue · pound · chair · pop · calf · perch

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cue — a signal
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. cue — for pool
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. perch — the fish
  11. chair — a leader
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pound — a weight
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pop — soda
  16. pop — music
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. cue — a hint

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