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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
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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: squash · fan · object · club · straw · key · fine · jam

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. club — for golf
  5. fine — high quality
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. object — to protest
  8. key — the most important part
  9. squash — to crush
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. squash — the sport
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fine — all right
  15. object — an aim
  16. club — for dancing
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. club — a group
  19. key — in music
  20. object — a thing
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. key — for a lock

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