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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: squash · pop · temple · spell · trunk · bay · patient · fan

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pop — music
  6. pop — soda
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. squash — to crush
  9. spell — a short time
  10. squash — the sport
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. spell — letters
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pop — to visit
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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