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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.

Make a worksheet

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: tube · racket · mine · pass · cue · key · rush · bowl

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. cue — for pool
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. key — in music
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. pass — a permit
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. tube — the underground
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rush — hurry
  13. key — the most important part
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cue — a signal
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. tube — a container
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. pass — to succeed

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