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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: cue · current · racket · club · stand · wake · bound · wound

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. wound — an injury
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for dancing
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wake — a trail
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. bound — certain
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. bound — obliged
  12. cue — for pool
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cue — a signal
  16. wound — an injury
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. current — electric
  19. cue — a hint
  20. current — happening now
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. stand — to bear
  23. current — of water
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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