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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 · kick · club · current · pitcher · prune · pound · coach

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bank — of a river
  3. current — happening now
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bank — for money
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. bank — for money
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. kick — in football
  13. club — a group
  14. club — for golf
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pound — a weight
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. current — of water
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. current — electric
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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