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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
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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: cabinet · spell · roll · arm · squash · club · net · bowl

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  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. arm — part of the body
  2. club — for golf
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. spell — letters
  5. spell — a short time
  6. club — a group
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. club — for dancing
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. squash — to crush
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. roll — a list
  15. net — after costs
  16. spell — magic
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. net — in sport
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. squash — the sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. roll — a cake
  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