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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: mark · deal · bound · kick · club · coach · staff · tube

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. staff — employees
  3. bound — obliged
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. kick — in football
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bound — certain
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. staff — employees
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. club — a group
  12. tube — a container
  13. staff — a stick
  14. bound — tied together
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. club — for dancing
  19. tube — the underground
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. club — for golf
  22. mark — a grade
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. coach — a trainer

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