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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: content · staff · fine · capital · squash · club

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. squash — the sport
  3. staff — employees
  4. capital — money
  5. staff — a stick
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. club — for golf
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — high quality
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. content — the amount
  12. squash — to crush
  13. staff — employees
  14. content — happy
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. fine — all right
  17. club — for dancing
  18. capital — a city

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