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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 120 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: present · plane · bound · key · calf · kick · wave · cue

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. present — a gift
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. key — for a lock
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bound — certain
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. present — there
  13. kick — in football
  14. present — the time now
  15. bound — obliged
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. key — in music
  20. cue — a signal
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. key — the most important part
  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