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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.

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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: squash · cue · spell · row · vault · track · nail · swing

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. vault — a safe
  3. row — to paddle
  4. swing — in golf
  5. cue — for pool
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. swing — music
  8. squash — to crush
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. spell — letters
  11. track — to keep track
  12. cue — a signal
  13. row — a line
  14. spell — magic
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. squash — the sport
  19. spell — a short time
  20. swing — to play on
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. nail — for a hammer

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