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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.

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 · sharp · dip · can · arm · bound · fan · foot

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — letters
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. can — a tin
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bound — tied together
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. spell — a short time
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. foot — a measure
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. sharp — clever
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. can — a tin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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