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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: coach · kid · hand · club · hide · rush · key · pound

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. key — in music
  7. hand — in cards
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rush — hurry
  12. key — for a lock
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. club — for dancing
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. kid — to tease
  17. hand — help
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. key — the most important part
  21. club — a group
  22. pound — a weight
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. club — for golf

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