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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.

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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: bulb · bound · sharp · club · hand · file · squash · can

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. club — for golf
  3. file — a line of people
  4. can — a tin
  5. squash — the sport
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bound — obliged
  8. hand — help
  9. bound — certain
  10. club — for dancing
  11. file — a tool
  12. file — a document
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. club — a group
  15. can — to be able to
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. can — a tin
  18. bulb — for light
  19. squash — to crush
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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