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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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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: calf · pass · cue · hand · racket · wave · wake · court

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. cue — a signal
  9. wake — a trail
  10. cue — for pool
  11. court — for sport
  12. court — of law
  13. hand — in cards
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. hand — help
  17. court — of a king
  18. cue — a hint
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. hand — part of the body

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