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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: key · nail · court · suit · bowl · can · squash · arm

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. suit — in cards
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. court — of a king
  8. key — for a lock
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. suit — clothes
  12. court — of law
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. court — for sport
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. squash — the sport
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. suit — to fit
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. can — a tin
  22. key — the most important part
  23. key — in music
  24. squash — to crush

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