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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: wave · suit · court · club · land · cue · bank · rush

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. land — ground
  3. court — of a king
  4. bank — of a river
  5. cue — a hint
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. club — a group
  11. land — to come down
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. rush — hurry
  14. club — for dancing
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cue — a signal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — in cards
  19. court — of law
  20. suit — clothes
  21. land — a country
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. club — for golf
  24. wave — with your hand

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