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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: band · stand · pop · ball · cue · pit · pass · kick

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. stand — to bear
  3. ball — a great time
  4. kick — in football
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. ball — a dance
  10. band — a ring
  11. pass — a permit
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pop — music
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pop — to visit
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pop — soda
  22. cue — a signal
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. band — a music group

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