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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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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 · squash · arm · can · staff · bound · fan · club

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bound — certain
  4. can — a tin
  5. staff — employees
  6. club — for dancing
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. can — a tin
  9. staff — employees
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bound — tied together
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. court — of a king
  14. club — a group
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. squash — to crush
  17. court — for sport
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bound — obliged
  20. staff — a stick
  21. club — for golf
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. can — to be able to

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