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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fork · cue · scale · capital · foot · game · calf · track

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. track — a song
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. cue — for pool
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. capital — a city
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cue — a signal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. foot — a measure
  18. scale — in music
  19. capital — money
  20. cue — a hint
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. fork — in a road
  24. game — a match

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