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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 116 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: band · scale · cue · coach · squash · rest · pass · calf

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. rest — a break
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. scale — in music
  10. cue — a hint
  11. squash — to crush
  12. rest — what's left
  13. scale — size or range
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. cue — a signal
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cue — for pool
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pass — a permit

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