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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bulb · deal · band · squash · jam · mouse · court · key

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. band — a music group
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. band — a ring
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. key — for a lock
  9. court — of a king
  10. bulb — for light
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. squash — to crush
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. key — in music
  22. court — for sport
  23. key — the most important part
  24. court — of law

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