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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.

Make a worksheet

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: chair · calf · perch · cap · mug · cue · coach · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. perch — the fish
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mug — to rob
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cap — of ice
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cap — a lid
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cue — a signal
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mug — a face
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. chair — a leader
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. calf — a young animal

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