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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: spell · bound · pound · fan · bank · club · cue · rush

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — magic
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bank — for money
  8. pound — a weight
  9. bound — tied together
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. club — a group
  12. bank — for money
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bound — certain
  17. rush — hurry
  18. club — for dancing
  19. bound — obliged
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. spell — a short time
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. cue — a hint

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