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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: wake · calf · board · drill · cue · scale · plane · mug

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. cue — a hint
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cue — for pool
  9. drill — army training
  10. mug — to rob
  11. board — a committee
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — a face
  14. cue — a signal
  15. wake — a trail
  16. drill — the tool
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. drill — a practice
  20. board — to get on
  21. plane — a tool
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — in music
  24. scale — for weighing

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