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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: chest · bass · cue · staff · bear · racket · calf · wax

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cue — a hint
  6. staff — a stick
  7. chest — of your body
  8. cue — a signal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. bear — the animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. cue — for pool
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wax — to grow
  23. chest — a box
  24. wax — for sculpting

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