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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: cabinet · court · club · mug · spell · deal · band · cell

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. court — of law
  3. cell — a phone
  4. court — of a king
  5. spell — letters
  6. band — a music group
  7. club — for dancing
  8. deal — to handle
  9. spell — magic
  10. cell — in biology
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. mug — to rob
  13. club — a group
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — a face
  16. band — a ring
  17. club — for golf
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. court — for sport
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. spell — a short time
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. cabinet — ministers

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