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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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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 · swing · bowl · lash · fork · club

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. club — a group
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. swing — to play on
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. swing — in golf
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. club — for dancing
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. swing — music
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. club — for golf

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