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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: leaves · chair · cue · racket · stick · date · calf · jam

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. chair — a leader
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. date — the fruit
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cue — a signal
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. cue — for pool
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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