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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: fine · track · bass · club · coach · bound · squash · game

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. bass — the fish
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. track — a song
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. game — wild animals
  7. bound — certain
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. fine — high quality
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bound — tied together
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. game — a match
  16. fine — all right
  17. bound — obliged
  18. club — for golf
  19. bass — low music
  20. track — a path
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. squash — the sport
  23. club — a group
  24. track — to keep track

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