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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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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: staff · bank · band · club · dip · stand · bound · pitcher

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. staff — employees
  2. dip — to sink
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bank — for money
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. band — a ring
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bound — tied together
  9. band — a music group
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bank — of a river
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. stand — to bear
  16. staff — employees
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. club — for golf
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. club — a group
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. dip — a sauce
  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