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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 · nail · fan · chest · bowl · can · mark · tube

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. mark — a trace
  6. tube — a container
  7. chest — a box
  8. mark — a grade
  9. chest — of your body
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. can — a tin
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. chest — of your body
  24. can — a tin

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