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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: squash · mine · can · pound · board · cue · spring · suit

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. spring — the season
  5. squash — to crush
  6. spring — of water
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. can — a tin
  11. board — to get on
  12. can — a tin
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mine — for digging
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. can — to be able to
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pound — a weight
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. suit — in cards
  22. board — a committee
  23. spring — a coil
  24. mine — belonging to me

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