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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: coach · calf · land · pass · cue · jam · scale · mouse

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. land — ground
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cue — for pool
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. scale — size or range
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cue — a hint
  14. land — a country
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. cue — a signal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. pass — a permit
  20. land — to come down
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. scale — in music
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. coach — a trainer

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