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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: calf · band · firm · leaves · land · staff · fork · cue

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. staff — a stick
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cue — a signal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. firm — a company
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. staff — employees
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. firm — steady
  14. firm — decided
  15. band — a music group
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fork — in a road
  18. staff — employees
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. land — a country
  21. cue — a hint
  22. band — a ring
  23. land — ground
  24. leaves — lets stay

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