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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 120 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: bowl · arm · cabinet · spell · dip · trunk · current · face

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — part of the head
  5. current — of water
  6. spell — a short time
  7. face — to point toward
  8. dip — to sink
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. current — electric
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. spell — magic
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. spell — letters
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. current — happening now
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. bowl — to roll

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