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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: pass · band · chair · court · mug · cue · mine · chest

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. chest — of your body
  5. cue — a hint
  6. band — a music group
  7. mug — a cup
  8. cue — a signal
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pass — a permit
  12. cue — for pool
  13. court — of a king
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mug — to rob
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — a leader
  18. court — of law
  19. mug — a face
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — a box
  22. band — a ring
  23. mine — for digging
  24. court — for sport

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