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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: arm · spring · hide · fork · spell · tube · current · dip

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. current — happening now
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — of water
  9. spell — letters
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. current — of water
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. spell — a short time
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. dip — to sink
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fork — in a road
  21. tube — the underground
  22. spell — magic
  23. current — electric
  24. tube — a container

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