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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: calf · scale · game · stem · rush · net · perch · cue

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. cue — a hint
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. scale — in music
  7. net — for catching
  8. stem — to come from
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. net — in sport
  11. game — wild animals
  12. net — after costs
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. cue — for pool
  15. perch — the fish
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. game — a match
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. calf — a young animal

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