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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: coach · cue · sharp · spell · wind · calf · club · bank

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bank — for money
  4. spell — a short time
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cue — a signal
  7. wind — moving air
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. wind — moving air
  13. club — for dancing
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. bank — of a river
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. cue — a hint
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. spell — letters
  20. spell — magic
  21. club — for golf
  22. sharp — clever
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. 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