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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · cue · ball · pop · ground · calf · foot · fork

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. foot — a measure
  4. pop — to visit
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — the sport
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fork — in a road
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pop — music
  11. ground — crushed
  12. cue — a hint
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. squash — to crush
  16. ground — the earth
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. ground — a position
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. pop — soda
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. cue — for pool
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. ball — a dance

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