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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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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 I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — a hint
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. cap — of ice
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. shower — to wash
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. squash — the sport
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. vault — a safe
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cue — for pool
  17. squash — to crush
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. scale — in music
  20. shower — rain
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. cap — a lid
  23. scale — size or range
  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