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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.

Make a worksheet

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: squash · rush · coach · object · club · spell · scale · bound

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. spell — letters
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bound — tied together
  6. squash — the sport
  7. object — an aim
  8. spell — a short time
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. club — a group
  13. club — for golf
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. squash — to crush
  18. object — a thing
  19. bound — certain
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. object — to protest
  22. bound — obliged
  23. club — for dancing
  24. spell — magic

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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