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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 120 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: pop · calf · bay · racket · mug · cell · fork · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cell — a phone
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pop — to visit
  7. mug — a face
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. mug — to rob
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. pop — music
  12. cue — a signal
  13. pop — soda
  14. cell — in biology
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. cue — a hint
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mug — a cup
  21. fork — in a road
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. calf — a young animal

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