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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
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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: fall · arm · cell · squash · current · spell · safe · toast

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. cell — in biology
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. squash — to crush
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. fall — to drop
  7. spell — magic
  8. current — of water
  9. fall — to drop
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. fall — the season
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. current — electric
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. cell — a phone
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. toast — bread
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. current — happening now
  24. spell — a short time

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