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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: band · mouse · court · bowl · club · arm · key · stick

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. club — a group
  4. key — the most important part
  5. club — for golf
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. court — for sport
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. club — for dancing
  13. court — of law
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. band — a ring
  19. key — for a lock
  20. band — a music group
  21. court — of a king
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — a football final

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