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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: bear · safe · pound · scale · cue · bat · calf · pitcher

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. scale — in music
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bat — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pound — a weight
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  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