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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: cue · cap · leaves · spell · track · squash · mouse · row

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. cue — a signal
  4. spell — a short time
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. cue — for pool
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the sport
  11. cap — of ice
  12. track — to keep track
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. row — a line
  17. track — a song
  18. spell — letters
  19. spell — magic
  20. track — a path
  21. row — to paddle
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. cap — a lid
  24. row — a quarrel

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