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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: bank · mouse · calf · squash · mark · ground · snap · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. ground — a position
  3. club — for golf
  4. ground — crushed
  5. snap — to click
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — a trace
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bank — for money
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. ground — the earth
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bank — of a river
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bank — for money
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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