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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.

Make a worksheet

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: arm · can · rush · wind · spell · club · lash · mine

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. wind — moving air
  4. can — a tin
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. spell — letters
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wind — moving air
  12. can — a tin
  13. club — for golf
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. club — a group
  16. mine — for digging
  17. spell — magic
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. club — for dancing
  24. rush — to hurry

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