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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 · ground · mine · pound · sharp · snap · pop · ruler

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. pop — music
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. pop — to visit
  7. ground — the earth
  8. cue — a signal
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. sharp — clever
  11. pop — soda
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. pound — a weight
  15. ground — a position
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. snap — to click
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. mine — for digging
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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