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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · arm · cabinet · squash · suit · game

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. squash — the sport
  3. suit — clothes
  4. suit — to fit
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. suit — in cards
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. spell — letters
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. squash — to crush
  12. spell — magic
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. game — a match
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. game — wild animals

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