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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: arm · pass · lie · spell · swing · chip · spring · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. swing — to play on
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. spell — letters
  6. spring — of water
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — a short time
  9. spring — the season
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. swing — music
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. spring — a coil
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. chip — to eat
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pass — a permit
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pass — to spend time

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