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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: mate · cue · object · pass · ball · cell · track · can

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cell — a phone
  4. cell — in biology
  5. ball — a dance
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. mate — to breed
  9. ball — a great time
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. object — a thing
  13. mate — a partner
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. object — to protest
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. cue — a hint
  21. object — an aim
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. can — a tin
  24. track — a path

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