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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
468
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: charge · band · spring · swing · mine · pass · mate · cue

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. spring — of water
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. swing — to play on
  5. mine — for digging
  6. swing — music
  7. band — a music group
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. cue — a hint
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. swing — in golf
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — the season
  16. charge — a price
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. cue — for pool
  19. mate — a partner
  20. pass — a permit
  21. charge — in control
  22. band — a ring
  23. charge — electricity
  24. mate — to breed

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