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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: wound · temple · cue · squash · staff · scale · vault · firm

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. firm — steady
  3. squash — the sport
  4. cue — a signal
  5. squash — to crush
  6. staff — a stick
  7. wound — an injury
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. vault — a safe
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. cue — a hint
  13. scale — size or range
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. wound — an injury
  17. firm — decided
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. staff — employees
  20. firm — a company
  21. staff — employees
  22. cue — for pool
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. scale — in music

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