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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 120 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: cue · suit · wave · hand · racket · firm · calf · rule

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rule — a law
  3. hand — help
  4. cue — a hint
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. cue — for pool
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. rule — government
  13. cue — a signal
  14. hand — in cards
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. firm — steady
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. firm — decided
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. firm — a company
  24. calf — a young animal

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