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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 116 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 · bowl · club · fan · staff · branch · ruler · leaves

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. court — of a king
  3. staff — employees
  4. club — for golf
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. staff — a stick
  9. staff — employees
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. court — for sport
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — a division

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