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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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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: fine · date · cue · wave · staff · chip · perch · calf

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. chip — to eat
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. chip — for betting
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cue — for pool
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. fine — high quality
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. cue — a signal
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. perch — the fish
  17. date — the fruit
  18. cue — a hint
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. fine — all right
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — on the calendar

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