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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 120 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
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: court · key · squash · nail · stem · leaves · fan · snap

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. key — in music
  4. court — of law
  5. snap — to click
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. squash — the sport
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. court — of a king
  13. key — the most important part
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. key — for a lock
  19. court — for sport
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. squash — to crush
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. nail — on a finger

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