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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: arm · wax · spell · cue · squash · fall · club · fan

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. fall — the season
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. spell — magic
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fall — to drop
  10. squash — the sport
  11. spell — letters
  12. squash — to crush
  13. spell — a short time
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. club — for dancing
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. fall — to drop
  19. cue — a signal
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — to grow
  22. club — a group
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. club — for golf

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