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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 116 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: rush · staff · calf · cue · nail · ball · cap · coach

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. staff — a stick
  3. cap — of ice
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. ball — a great time
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. cap — a hat
  10. rush — hurry
  11. ball — a dance
  12. staff — employees
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. staff — employees
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. cap — a lid
  24. ball — a round shape

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