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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spring · staff · cue · spell · calf · scale · pit · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. spring — of water
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. staff — employees
  5. pit — in a race
  6. scale — size or range
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. spring — the season
  9. pit — a hole
  10. cue — for pool
  11. staff — employees
  12. spell — letters
  13. cue — a signal
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. spring — a coil
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. staff — a stick
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. cue — a hint
  20. scale — in music
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — a short time
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rock — music

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