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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: land · suit · scale · calf · cue · rock · hand · last

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. hand — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. land — a country
  6. suit — in cards
  7. last — finally
  8. rock — music
  9. land — ground
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. cue — a signal
  13. rock — a stone
  14. land — to come down
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — for pool
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. suit — to fit
  22. last — final
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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