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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bank — for money
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. squash — the sport
  6. foot — a measure
  7. vault — a safe
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — a line
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. row — to paddle
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. squash — to crush
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. cue — a signal
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bank — for money
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bank — of a river
  23. hand — help
  24. temple — a place of worship

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