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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: can · land · jam · temple · toast · squash · root · cue

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. land — ground
  6. cue — a hint
  7. land — a country
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. can — to be able to
  10. toast — bread
  11. can — a tin
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cue — for pool
  14. root — of a plant
  15. squash — the sport
  16. can — a tin
  17. root — the cause
  18. cue — a signal
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. land — to come down
  24. root — of a word

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