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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: snap · calf · plane · chest · cue · row · key · fine

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. key — for a lock
  4. chest — a box
  5. row — to paddle
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. cue — a hint
  9. row — a line
  10. chest — of your body
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. plane — a tool
  13. chest — of your body
  14. key — in music
  15. snap — to click
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. key — the most important part
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — high quality
  21. cue — for pool
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. plane — in geometry

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