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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: file · club · safe · chair · bowl · cue · craft · swing

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. swing — to play on
  4. club — for golf
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cue — a signal
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. file — a tool
  11. cue — for pool
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. chair — a leader
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. cue — a hint
  17. file — a document
  18. file — a line of people
  19. club — a group
  20. craft — a skill
  21. swing — music
  22. craft — boats
  23. swing — in golf
  24. safe — out of danger

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