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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: cue · staff · calf · rock · last · scale · cabinet · pitcher

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. last — to go on
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. scale — size or range
  12. rock — music
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. staff — a stick
  17. scale — in music
  18. staff — employees
  19. rock — a stone
  20. last — finally
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. last — final
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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