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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: arm · spell · spring · object · bear · cap · current · plane

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cap — of ice
  4. spring — a coil
  5. current — of water
  6. current — electric
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. spring — the season
  10. spell — a short time
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. object — a thing
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. cap — a lid
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. cap — a hat
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. spring — of water
  21. spell — letters
  22. spell — magic
  23. plane — a tool
  24. arm — a part of something

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