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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 · cue · pop · spring · ground · mug · game · bowl

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — to rob
  3. ground — the earth
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. game — wild animals
  7. cue — for pool
  8. pop — music
  9. spring — the season
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pop — soda
  12. ground — a position
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. cue — a signal
  15. spring — of water
  16. cue — a hint
  17. game — a match
  18. pop — to visit
  19. ground — crushed
  20. spring — a coil
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bowl — a dish

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