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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.

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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: stock · coach · object · temple · squash · last · spell · hide

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  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. temple — side of the head
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. spell — letters
  6. stock — shares
  7. squash — the sport
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. object — a thing
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. object — an aim
  13. last — final
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. squash — to crush
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. spell — magic
  19. object — to protest
  20. last — finally
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stock — goods
  23. coach — a trainer
  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