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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 120 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: fan · arm · squash · craft · prune · suit · bound · key

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bound — certain
  3. prune — to trim
  4. key — the most important part
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. key — for a lock
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. bound — tied together
  9. suit — to fit
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. key — in music
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — boats
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. suit — clothes
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. suit — in cards
  19. prune — to trim
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bound — obliged
  24. squash — to crush

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