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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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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: suit · cue · bowl · pound · stick · snap · track · club

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. club — a group
  4. suit — to fit
  5. snap — to click
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. track — a path
  9. pound — a weight
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. club — for golf
  12. cue — a signal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. cue — for pool
  17. club — for dancing
  18. track — a song
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. suit — clothes

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