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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: wind · squash · cue · temple · chip · spell · vault · march

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. chip — for betting
  4. march — the month
  5. cue — a hint
  6. squash — to crush
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. spell — magic
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. squash — the sport
  14. cue — a signal
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. spell — a short time
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. spell — letters
  19. vault — a safe
  20. wind — moving air
  21. wind — moving air
  22. chip — to eat
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. wind — to turn a key

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