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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: cue · lie · pass · rush · can · ball · degree · land

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pass — a permit
  6. cue — a signal
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rush — hurry
  9. cue — for pool
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. degree — temperature
  12. degree — from a university
  13. can — to be able to
  14. degree — an amount
  15. ball — a great time
  16. land — a country
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. land — ground
  19. can — a tin
  20. land — to come down
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. can — a tin
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pass — to succeed

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