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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: ground · cue · calf · arm · court · foot · object · firm

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. firm — steady
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. object — an aim
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. court — for sport
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. firm — a company
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. court — of law
  11. cue — a hint
  12. firm — decided
  13. ground — a position
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. foot — a measure
  16. object — a thing
  17. ground — the earth
  18. court — of a king
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ground — crushed
  21. object — to protest
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. cue — for pool

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