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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: racket · arm · bank · pop · key · court · fork · club

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  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. bank — for money
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. court — of law
  4. pop — music
  5. court — for sport
  6. pop — to visit
  7. court — of a king
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bank — of a river
  12. pop — soda
  13. club — for dancing
  14. key — the most important part
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bank — for money
  17. key — for a lock
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. key — in music
  23. club — a group
  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