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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.

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: straw · bank · staff · scale · calf · pitcher · present · cue

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. staff — employees
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cue — for pool
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. scale — size or range
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. present — there
  11. bank — for money
  12. staff — employees
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cue — a hint
  15. staff — a stick
  16. cue — a signal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. scale — in music
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. present — the time now
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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