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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 120 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: cue · pound · lean · rest · track · band · pop · season

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pop — to visit
  4. track — a path
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — soda
  9. track — a song
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. band — a music group
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cue — a hint
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — in sport
  17. rest — what's left
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. track — to keep track
  20. cue — a signal
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to bend
  23. band — a ring
  24. cue — for pool

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