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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: perch · cue · wound · kick · cell · key · calf · cap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. perch — the fish
  5. wound — an injury
  6. kick — in football
  7. cue — for pool
  8. key — in music
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. key — the most important part
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. cue — a signal
  17. cell — in biology
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cap — a hat
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. key — for a lock
  24. calf — of the leg

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