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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: last · hand · pitcher · mouse · cabinet · arm · fan · club

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. club — a group
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. last — final
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. last — finally
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. last — to go on
  20. club — for golf
  21. hand — in cards
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. hand — help
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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