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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 · fork · cue · coach · present · chest · cabinet · perch

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cue — a signal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. chest — a box
  10. cue — for pool
  11. present — a gift
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cue — a hint
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. chest — of your body
  18. present — the time now
  19. chest — of your body
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. present — there
  23. fork — in a road
  24. coach — a trainer

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