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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. hand — in cards
  3. cue — a signal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. cue — a hint
  8. hand — help
  9. bound — tied together
  10. cue — for pool
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. rush — hurry
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bound — obliged
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. bank — for money
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bound — certain
  24. staff — a stick

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