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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.

Make a worksheet

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: squash · snap · land · cue · stock · rock · roll · temple

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. cue — a hint
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. land — to come down
  8. stock — goods
  9. cue — a signal
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. rock — music
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. land — a country
  18. roll — a list
  19. land — ground
  20. squash — to crush
  21. stock — shares
  22. roll — a cake
  23. cue — for pool
  24. squash — the sport

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