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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: toast · mouse · spring · board · dip · season · arm · row

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — in sport
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. spring — of water
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. board — to get on
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. board — a committee
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — to sink
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. season — of the year
  22. spring — the season
  23. toast — bread
  24. row — a quarrel

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