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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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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: suit · pound · snap · kick · bank · club

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. suit — to fit
  3. club — a group
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. kick — in football
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bank — for money
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. club — for golf
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. bank — of a river
  13. suit — clothes
  14. snap — to click
  15. club — for dancing
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bank — for money

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