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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.

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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: board · patient · squash · spell · stand · cue · temple · rest

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. spell — letters
  3. board — to get on
  4. cue — a signal
  5. spell — magic
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. rest — a break
  9. squash — to crush
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. cue — a hint
  12. rest — what's left
  13. spell — a short time
  14. squash — the sport
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. board — a committee
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. cue — for pool
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stand — to bear
  24. rest — what's left

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