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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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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: rest · spell · cue · cabinet · temple · pit · club · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. rest — a break
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. pit — a hole
  7. cue — a signal
  8. fork — in a road
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. club — for golf
  11. spell — magic
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cue — for pool
  15. pit — in a race
  16. spell — a short time
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. club — for dancing
  19. club — a group
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cue — a hint
  22. rest — what's left
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. spell — letters

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