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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.

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: spell · cue · temple · dip · rest · season · band · board

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. season — of the year
  3. spell — magic
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. spell — a short time
  10. band — a music group
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cue — for pool
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rest — what's left
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. board — a committee
  17. season — in sport
  18. spell — letters
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. board — to get on
  21. band — a ring
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. dip — to sink
  24. temple — side of the head

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