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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
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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: spell · pass · hand · rush · squash · bound · cue · fork

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. hand — help
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. squash — to crush
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. fork — in a road
  8. spell — letters
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. squash — the sport
  14. spell — a short time
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. cue — a signal
  17. hand — in cards
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. rush — hurry
  22. spell — magic
  23. bound — tied together
  24. cue — for pool

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