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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: file · cabinet · safe · game · arm · spell · pound · foot

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. spell — letters
  3. file — a document
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. file — a tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. game — wild animals
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. game — a match
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. spell — a short time
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. spell — magic
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — a weight
  20. file — a line of people
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. foot — a measure

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