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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: racket · calf · pop · band · mug · club · snap · spell

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mug — to rob
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mug — a face
  5. band — a music group
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — magic
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. mug — a cup
  11. spell — a short time
  12. pop — to visit
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pop — soda
  16. club — a group
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. club — for golf
  19. band — a ring
  20. pop — music
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. band — a rubber band

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