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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: march · pound · shower · club · mark · chip · suit · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. club — a group
  3. suit — clothes
  4. shower — to wash
  5. march — the month
  6. pound — a weight
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. suit — in cards
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. club — for dancing
  12. shower — rain
  13. club — for golf
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. march — the month
  17. suit — to fit
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mark — a trace
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. chip — for betting
  23. mark — a grade
  24. march — music

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