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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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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: mouse · cabinet · spell · safe · hand · arm · wind · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. wind — moving air
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. spell — magic
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. spell — a short time
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. spell — letters
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wind — moving air
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. hand — in cards
  21. club — a group
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. hand — help
  24. club — for dancing

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