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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 120 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: temple · staff · pass · bowl · cue · shower · band · can

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. shower — to wash
  4. cue — for pool
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. can — to be able to
  7. staff — a stick
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. band — a music group
  10. can — a tin
  11. pass — a permit
  12. band — a ring
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. staff — employees
  21. can — a tin
  22. shower — rain
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. cue — a signal

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