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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cue · game · mate · squash · bear · calf · track · firm

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. track — a path
  3. bear — the animal
  4. track — to keep track
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. firm — steady
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. game — a match
  10. firm — decided
  11. cue — for pool
  12. firm — a company
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mate — a partner
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bear — the animal
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. game — wild animals
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. track — a song

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