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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: object · calf · wave · lash · scale · row · cue · drill

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. scale — in music
  5. cue — a signal
  6. object — an aim
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. drill — the tool
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. scale — size or range
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. drill — army training
  16. object — a thing
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. drill — a practice
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. object — to protest
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. row — a line

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