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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: ball · bark · club · coach · suit · saw · deal · pop

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. saw — the tool
  3. suit — to fit
  4. pop — music
  5. bark — to shout
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. saw — the tool
  8. club — for dancing
  9. deal — to handle
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. suit — clothes
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. suit — in cards
  18. pop — to visit
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. club — for golf
  24. club — a group

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