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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 120 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: spell · bay · arm · tube · bank · hide · shower · net

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. shower — to wash
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. bank — of a river
  8. spell — magic
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. net — for catching
  13. bank — for money
  14. shower — rain
  15. tube — a container
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bank — for money
  18. net — after costs
  19. spell — letters
  20. tube — the underground
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. net — in sport

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