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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 116 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: pound · scale · pop · cue · club · sharp · calf · bound

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. sharp — clever
  4. bound — tied together
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. pop — soda
  7. club — for dancing
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. pound — a weight
  11. cue — a signal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. club — a group
  15. club — for golf
  16. cue — a hint
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. bound — obliged
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bound — certain
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. cue — for pool
  24. sharp — exactly

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