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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 120 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: hide · foot · band · pound · club · spell · key · charge

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. spell — magic
  4. key — in music
  5. club — for dancing
  6. band — a ring
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. spell — a short time
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. club — a group
  12. charge — in control
  13. key — for a lock
  14. band — a music group
  15. key — the most important part
  16. charge — a price
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pound — a weight
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. spell — letters

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