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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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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: cue · spell · squash · suit · last · mine · toast · firm

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. squash — to crush
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — a company
  5. suit — in cards
  6. last — finally
  7. cue — a hint
  8. spell — magic
  9. cue — a signal
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. last — final
  12. firm — steady
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. toast — bread
  16. spell — letters
  17. mine — for digging
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. cue — for pool
  20. squash — the sport
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — to fit
  23. last — to go on
  24. toast — the most admired

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