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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: roll · cue · calf · wave · ground · can · present · date

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. ground — the earth
  3. date — the fruit
  4. present — the time now
  5. roll — a cake
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cue — for pool
  8. can — to be able to
  9. roll — a list
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ground — a position
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. ground — crushed
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. can — a tin
  20. present — there
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. cue — a signal
  23. can — a tin
  24. present — a gift

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