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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · ball · nail · last · spell · tube · cue · squash

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. cue — for pool
  6. ball — a great time
  7. last — finally
  8. cue — a hint
  9. squash — to crush
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. last — final
  13. spell — letters
  14. tube — a container
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ball — a dance
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. cue — a signal
  22. tube — the underground
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. last — to go on

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