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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: temple · spring · vault · coach · cue · spell · board · toast

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — of water
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. board — to get on
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. spring — a coil
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. board — a committee
  10. cue — a signal
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. spell — magic
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. spell — a short time
  16. toast — bread
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. spell — letters
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — for pool
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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