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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.

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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: chair · calf · cue · scale · band · can · jam · squash

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. band — a ring
  5. scale — size or range
  6. can — a tin
  7. cue — a signal
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. chair — a leader
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. band — a music group
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a hint
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. squash — the sport
  20. can — to be able to
  21. squash — to crush
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. can — a tin
  24. scale — in music

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