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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: bay · spell · arm · shower · bore · firm · bound · scale

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. firm — steady
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bound — certain
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. shower — rain
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. scale — in music
  13. bound — tied together
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. spell — letters
  17. firm — decided
  18. bound — obliged
  19. spell — magic
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. firm — a company
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. scale — size or range

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