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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: suit · club · field · mouse · court · trunk · nail · bowl

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — clothes
  4. court — of law
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. club — for dancing
  8. field — a subject
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. court — for sport
  12. field — farmland
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. club — for golf
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. field — for sport
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. club — a group
  22. court — of a king
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bowl — a football final

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