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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.

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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: chest · calf · spell · cue · wake · rule · scale · bay

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. spell — a short time
  4. rule — a law
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. scale — size or range
  8. cue — for pool
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. chest — a box
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. chest — of your body
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. spell — magic
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. spell — letters
  21. rule — government
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. scale — in music
  24. chest — of your body

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