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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: court · band · bank · club · lie · fan · mouse · prune

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bank — for money
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. lie — to recline
  9. club — a group
  10. court — of a king
  11. prune — to trim
  12. band — a music group
  13. court — of law
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bank — of a river
  16. club — for golf
  17. court — for sport
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. band — a ring
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. club — for dancing
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bank — for money

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