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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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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: row · pass · trunk · wind · calf · perch · cue · hand

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. wind — moving air
  4. row — to paddle
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. pass — a permit
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. row — a line
  10. cue — a hint
  11. perch — the fish
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. hand — in cards
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cue — a signal
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. hand — help
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wind — moving air
  24. calf — of the leg

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