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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: tube · bay · spell · current · can · spring · firm · plane

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. can — a tin
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. can — a tin
  7. tube — a container
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. firm — steady
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. can — to be able to
  12. spell — letters
  13. tube — the underground
  14. spell — magic
  15. spring — a coil
  16. firm — a company
  17. current — electric
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. current — happening now
  21. firm — decided
  22. spring — the season
  23. current — of water
  24. spring — of water

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