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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 116 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: pass · pop · mine · rule · scale · cue · ball · can

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. can — a tin
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — government
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mine — for digging
  9. pop — soda
  10. cue — for pool
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. cue — a hint
  18. can — a tin
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pop — to visit
  21. scale — in music
  22. cue — a signal
  23. can — to be able to
  24. ball — a great time

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