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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: fork · file · fan · stock · hand · cabinet · arm · club

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. club — for golf
  3. file — a document
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. hand — in cards
  6. file — a line of people
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stock — goods
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. file — a tool
  13. hand — help
  14. club — a group
  15. fork — in a road
  16. club — for dancing
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cabinet — ministers

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